Friday, December 4, 2009
Technology Belief Statement
I believe Educational Technology is crucial in the classroom. Technology can make student learning easier and more engaging. It can improve learning in all subject areas as it expands the walls of the classroom to include everything in the world from exploring under the sea to communicating with children in China to seeing our world from outer space. Technology can greatly improve learning for students with special needs as it can encourage students learning a new language and eases the challenges for students with disabilities. I will definitely use technology in many ways in all subjects taught in my classroom.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Ch. 10 Response
Assessing Meaningful Learning with Technology
Assessing Meaningful Learning:Authentic and Performance Assessment
Performance assessment involves assessing students by having them perform tasks that use the skills that are being assessed. Authentic assessment involves having students show that they know something by performing a task instead of taking a test. This also shows that they have learned the concepts or skills in a meaningful way and this knowledge will stay with them forever. I will definitely use authentic assessment in my future classroom since it shows what students truly know and understand instead of what they have memorized.
Technology-Based Assessments
Technology-based assessments can help teachers quickly and more regularly assess students to see if they are understanding the material. Although this can create a little more work for teachers, in the long run it can save time and create better learning.
Assessing Growth Over Time with Electronic Portfolios
E-portfolios are collections of student work, which can include everything from writing samples and artwork to videos and projects. These portfolios can help show how students have improved over time and gives students more autonomy in their work. E-portfolios can give teachers lots of flexibility since teachers can decide the time frame, what goes in the portfolio, and who makes the portfolio. Having an e-portfolio instead of a regular portfolio also allows the teacher or student to search it more easily. Portfolios can also help students reflect on their work and can motivate them to improve their work. I think this is very beneficial because self-motivation is very important in the classroom. I watched the video for Foliotek and learned exactly what they offer for student portfolios. Students can use these portfolios to be assessed, share presentations, or create their own scrapbooks. In previous classes (especially the teaching writing class) we have learned about the importance and usefulness of portfolios as assessment tools. Having an electronic portfolio makes this even easier and more useful. I will definitely use an e-portfolio in my future classroom.
Assessing Performance with Technology-Based Rubrics
Rubrics help achieve meaningful learning since they let students know what is expected of them and after they receive the grade, what areas they did well in and what areas could use some work. I definitely prefer assignments that have rubrics since they let me know exactly what they teacher is expecting and that there will be no surprises. Rubric banks can make writing rubrics quicker and easier for teachers. However, teachers must be careful when using a bank and be sure to modify the rubric to fit the objectives of their specific class assignment. I explored Rubrician and found that it has lots of rubric banks categorized by subject. It has so many that it could be a very daunting task to find one that fits my assignment. I am not sure that I would use a rubric bank as a teacher. Although it may be quicker, I want to be sure that my rubric perfectly fits my objectives. Rubric generators on the other hand, ask the teacher for specific information and necessary elements and create a rubric. I would more likely use this in my future classroom.
Good rubrics should include all important elements, each element should be unidimensional, have specific ratings, be clear, and provide information about the elements. We have learned similar things in previous classes. I am sure we have all had bad rubrics that were unclear or not specific enough. Good rubrics help both teachers and students.
Clicker Assessment Tools
I had never used a clicker before college. Once in college I used a clicker in two different science classes and one math class. I think it is great that the teacher can see the responses from specific students, but other students cannot. I think the best part of using clickers is the way the information can be shown quickly on a screen for the whole class to see. This information can even be shown in graphs and charts. However, I found that I and other students had lots of trouble getting the clickers to work and these issues caused skewed data. If I could get the clickers to work properly, I would use them in my classroom as a quick way to assess my students' knowledge. It would also help all students be engaged as they do not have to be called on to answer a question and feelings will not be hurt if they answer incorrectly.
Assessing Learning with Computer-Based Tests and Surveys
I agree with the book that adaptive tests are good in that they can assess in a better way students who are at the ends of the spectrum unlike regular tests who are aimed at average ability level students. I believe that the computerized GRE is an adaptive test, which enables it to give a specific score for that person. I also like the idea of using these adaptive tests as diagnostic tests.
Assessing Meaningful Learning:Authentic and Performance Assessment
Performance assessment involves assessing students by having them perform tasks that use the skills that are being assessed. Authentic assessment involves having students show that they know something by performing a task instead of taking a test. This also shows that they have learned the concepts or skills in a meaningful way and this knowledge will stay with them forever. I will definitely use authentic assessment in my future classroom since it shows what students truly know and understand instead of what they have memorized.
Technology-Based Assessments
Technology-based assessments can help teachers quickly and more regularly assess students to see if they are understanding the material. Although this can create a little more work for teachers, in the long run it can save time and create better learning.
Assessing Growth Over Time with Electronic Portfolios
E-portfolios are collections of student work, which can include everything from writing samples and artwork to videos and projects. These portfolios can help show how students have improved over time and gives students more autonomy in their work. E-portfolios can give teachers lots of flexibility since teachers can decide the time frame, what goes in the portfolio, and who makes the portfolio. Having an e-portfolio instead of a regular portfolio also allows the teacher or student to search it more easily. Portfolios can also help students reflect on their work and can motivate them to improve their work. I think this is very beneficial because self-motivation is very important in the classroom. I watched the video for Foliotek and learned exactly what they offer for student portfolios. Students can use these portfolios to be assessed, share presentations, or create their own scrapbooks. In previous classes (especially the teaching writing class) we have learned about the importance and usefulness of portfolios as assessment tools. Having an electronic portfolio makes this even easier and more useful. I will definitely use an e-portfolio in my future classroom.
Assessing Performance with Technology-Based Rubrics
Rubrics help achieve meaningful learning since they let students know what is expected of them and after they receive the grade, what areas they did well in and what areas could use some work. I definitely prefer assignments that have rubrics since they let me know exactly what they teacher is expecting and that there will be no surprises. Rubric banks can make writing rubrics quicker and easier for teachers. However, teachers must be careful when using a bank and be sure to modify the rubric to fit the objectives of their specific class assignment. I explored Rubrician and found that it has lots of rubric banks categorized by subject. It has so many that it could be a very daunting task to find one that fits my assignment. I am not sure that I would use a rubric bank as a teacher. Although it may be quicker, I want to be sure that my rubric perfectly fits my objectives. Rubric generators on the other hand, ask the teacher for specific information and necessary elements and create a rubric. I would more likely use this in my future classroom.
Good rubrics should include all important elements, each element should be unidimensional, have specific ratings, be clear, and provide information about the elements. We have learned similar things in previous classes. I am sure we have all had bad rubrics that were unclear or not specific enough. Good rubrics help both teachers and students.
Clicker Assessment Tools
I had never used a clicker before college. Once in college I used a clicker in two different science classes and one math class. I think it is great that the teacher can see the responses from specific students, but other students cannot. I think the best part of using clickers is the way the information can be shown quickly on a screen for the whole class to see. This information can even be shown in graphs and charts. However, I found that I and other students had lots of trouble getting the clickers to work and these issues caused skewed data. If I could get the clickers to work properly, I would use them in my classroom as a quick way to assess my students' knowledge. It would also help all students be engaged as they do not have to be called on to answer a question and feelings will not be hurt if they answer incorrectly.
Assessing Learning with Computer-Based Tests and Surveys
I agree with the book that adaptive tests are good in that they can assess in a better way students who are at the ends of the spectrum unlike regular tests who are aimed at average ability level students. I believe that the computerized GRE is an adaptive test, which enables it to give a specific score for that person. I also like the idea of using these adaptive tests as diagnostic tests.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Ch. 9 Response
Visualizing with Technologies
What are Visualization Tools?
Before reading this, I had never thought about the fact that we can hear things and respond orally, but cannot see things and respond in a visual way. Instead we have to make something that will then be visible to those who see it. It is difficult to do this in the way we want, especially if we are not very artistically talented. Visualization tools help us represent our own visual ideas. There are two kinds of visualization tools. Interpretive tools help learners understand complicated and abstract ideas. To me, this seems to be similar to models. The other type of tools are expressive, which help learners express their own ideas, thoughts, and beliefs.
Visualizing Scientific Ideas with Computers
I feel that science is an important area to use technology for visualizing. Many things are too small or too big to see with our own two eyes, so visual representations can help a lot. In our science class, we learned about using models (made by hand) to teach these concepts. However, I think using visualization tools are even better since they are more accurate and less work. Using these visualization tools in chemistry classes sounds very helpful. I know I struggled some with chemistry in high school and I think part of this was due to a lack of visual representations. Visualization tools can also be very helpful when learning geography, which is something that cannot actually be seen all at once without tools. Some of the tools listed in the book seem expensive and would require lots of resources. However, they do enable students to do some very interesting things. I thought the class that tracked the chemical spill had a very interesting project on their hands. The free programs such as Google Earth would probably be more likely to be used in an elementary classroom. I have been using Google Earth for years and really like it. Bing.com also has a similar program.
I would use a tool such as Google Earth in my classroom. I would use it when studying specific countries or cities as I could actually show my students what it looks like there. Also when zoomed out, you can get a very good look at the topography which would also be beneficial for students learning about different types of land forms.
Some websites that can help kids visualize science:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/explore/online.html
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/science/games/5833.html
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/learn.jsp
Visualizing Mathematical Ideas with Technologies
Math is definitely an area of study that many students struggle with. This is in part because it is more abstract. Many students often think the numbers used in math do not mean anything and are simply numbers. Graphs and other visual representations can help show the real meaning of the numbers. I used graphing calculators in high school to assist in my understanding of certain functions. They were also very helpful with checking my own work when I had to create my own graphs, etc. Graphing calculators are good for older students but I do not think these are appropriate for elementary students. However, programs such as TinkerPlots could be used in the upper elementary classroom as they rely less on the student knowing complicated functions and more on seeing what certain functions represent. I would use a program similar to this in my classroom when discussing relationships between numbers and how certain data will affect other data in a specific way. This program could be beneficial in getting the students ready for later years when they begin studying algebra.
Some websites that have games that can help kids visualize:
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivitySearch.aspx
http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html
Visualizing with Digital Cameras and Mobile Phones
I definitely agree that technology has changed photography a lot. I did not get a digital camera until my freshman year in college. Before that, I used disposable cameras, and if I wanted to share pictures, I had to scan them after getting them developed. This was a big hassle and the quality was never very good. Digital cameras have changed my life a lot.
The book mentions using cameras to make personal documentaries of the students. I think this is a great idea because it incorporates technology with Language Arts and even art itself. I would also use digital cameras in science. For example, if my class is growing a plant, we could take a picture of it everyday so we could really see how much it grows and changes.
Visualizing with Video
I am somewhat familiar with using imovie and creating digital stories as I have had to do it before. However, I do not think I am very competent with it. I do think making movies can be useful in the classroom and with practice children can work well with the programs. I would have my students make a movie at the end of a unit. This would allow the students to express everything they have learned in a creative way. This is a good way to integrate many different subjects and to get students to collaborate.
Video Modeling and Feedback
When I first read the title of this section, I had no idea what it would be about. Video modeling is filming people showing certain skills or how to do things. I think this could be very useful in the classroom since students get to show their skills and knowledge. I have always been taught that if someone knows something well enough to teach it, they know it very well and sometimes in teaching they learn the concept better. The teacher can also model certain skills such as reading a book so that students can see exactly what they should be doing.
I know that people can learn a lot about themselves by watching themselves on video. I hate seeing myself on video, but I do learn a lot about how to adjust the way I do things by seeing myself do it. We are going to have the opportunity to have ourselves filmed doing the micro teaching in our science class. I think this could be very helpful but also very nerve racking.
What are Visualization Tools?
Before reading this, I had never thought about the fact that we can hear things and respond orally, but cannot see things and respond in a visual way. Instead we have to make something that will then be visible to those who see it. It is difficult to do this in the way we want, especially if we are not very artistically talented. Visualization tools help us represent our own visual ideas. There are two kinds of visualization tools. Interpretive tools help learners understand complicated and abstract ideas. To me, this seems to be similar to models. The other type of tools are expressive, which help learners express their own ideas, thoughts, and beliefs.
Visualizing Scientific Ideas with Computers
I feel that science is an important area to use technology for visualizing. Many things are too small or too big to see with our own two eyes, so visual representations can help a lot. In our science class, we learned about using models (made by hand) to teach these concepts. However, I think using visualization tools are even better since they are more accurate and less work. Using these visualization tools in chemistry classes sounds very helpful. I know I struggled some with chemistry in high school and I think part of this was due to a lack of visual representations. Visualization tools can also be very helpful when learning geography, which is something that cannot actually be seen all at once without tools. Some of the tools listed in the book seem expensive and would require lots of resources. However, they do enable students to do some very interesting things. I thought the class that tracked the chemical spill had a very interesting project on their hands. The free programs such as Google Earth would probably be more likely to be used in an elementary classroom. I have been using Google Earth for years and really like it. Bing.com also has a similar program.
I would use a tool such as Google Earth in my classroom. I would use it when studying specific countries or cities as I could actually show my students what it looks like there. Also when zoomed out, you can get a very good look at the topography which would also be beneficial for students learning about different types of land forms.
Some websites that can help kids visualize science:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/explore/online.html
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/science/games/5833.html
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/learn.jsp
Visualizing Mathematical Ideas with Technologies
Math is definitely an area of study that many students struggle with. This is in part because it is more abstract. Many students often think the numbers used in math do not mean anything and are simply numbers. Graphs and other visual representations can help show the real meaning of the numbers. I used graphing calculators in high school to assist in my understanding of certain functions. They were also very helpful with checking my own work when I had to create my own graphs, etc. Graphing calculators are good for older students but I do not think these are appropriate for elementary students. However, programs such as TinkerPlots could be used in the upper elementary classroom as they rely less on the student knowing complicated functions and more on seeing what certain functions represent. I would use a program similar to this in my classroom when discussing relationships between numbers and how certain data will affect other data in a specific way. This program could be beneficial in getting the students ready for later years when they begin studying algebra.
Some websites that have games that can help kids visualize:
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivitySearch.aspx
http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html
Visualizing with Digital Cameras and Mobile Phones
I definitely agree that technology has changed photography a lot. I did not get a digital camera until my freshman year in college. Before that, I used disposable cameras, and if I wanted to share pictures, I had to scan them after getting them developed. This was a big hassle and the quality was never very good. Digital cameras have changed my life a lot.
The book mentions using cameras to make personal documentaries of the students. I think this is a great idea because it incorporates technology with Language Arts and even art itself. I would also use digital cameras in science. For example, if my class is growing a plant, we could take a picture of it everyday so we could really see how much it grows and changes.
Visualizing with Video
I am somewhat familiar with using imovie and creating digital stories as I have had to do it before. However, I do not think I am very competent with it. I do think making movies can be useful in the classroom and with practice children can work well with the programs. I would have my students make a movie at the end of a unit. This would allow the students to express everything they have learned in a creative way. This is a good way to integrate many different subjects and to get students to collaborate.
Video Modeling and Feedback
When I first read the title of this section, I had no idea what it would be about. Video modeling is filming people showing certain skills or how to do things. I think this could be very useful in the classroom since students get to show their skills and knowledge. I have always been taught that if someone knows something well enough to teach it, they know it very well and sometimes in teaching they learn the concept better. The teacher can also model certain skills such as reading a book so that students can see exactly what they should be doing.
I know that people can learn a lot about themselves by watching themselves on video. I hate seeing myself on video, but I do learn a lot about how to adjust the way I do things by seeing myself do it. We are going to have the opportunity to have ourselves filmed doing the micro teaching in our science class. I think this could be very helpful but also very nerve racking.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
ch. 8 Response
Designing with Technologies
Learning by Designing In and Out of Schools
I was not familiar with anything involving designing before reading this chapter. I also had never thought of using designing in the classroom. I do agree, though, that designing is a lot like problem solving in that both involve trying to find a problem and then creating a solution to solve the problem.
Drawing Design Ideas with Computer-aided Design Software
Computer-aided software makes designing much easier than using hand drawings. They can be more in depth and easier to understand for the viewer. I do not have much experience with these sorts of programs. My only experience with computer-aided software was AUTO-CAD which I used when I was working at an architecture firm in high school. I definitely remember that it was much easier and organized to work with this program than with pencil and paper. I think using these programs in schools does seem interesting and I tried to look up more information about Pro/DESKTOP on the website and was unable to find too much. However, I did get to see some pictures of students in a class using it and it looked like a very engaging class. Although this does seem good for students, I do not know that I would use this in an elementary classroom. It looks very complicated, but perhaps I could use some designs made by high school students about things I am teaching in my elementary class.
I thought SketchUp was a very interesting program and one that I, as an adult, would enjoy using. However, I think this software is still too advanced for elementary students.
Testing Designs and Building Mental Models with Simulation Software
I think that using simulation software to build models that would possibly be too complex or expensive to actually build is a good idea. I think these are more appropriate for upper elementary and beyond. I do believe that I started learning about simple machines in my late elementary years and I did have difficulty understanding them. I think if I was able to build and see a simulation of the simple machines, I would have understood them better. I would use these types of simulators in my classroom in this way.
Developing Programming Skills While Designing in the Media Arts
Before this class, I knew nothing about programming. Now that I have been exposed to Scratch, I feel that I know a little more but not very much, However, scratch has helped me open my mind to the idea of young children doing programing. I do not know that many other programs are this simple, but at least this one could be useful in the classroom. I would use Scratch in my classroom for group presentations or projects. Students could work together to present ideas. I also would have my students use Scratch at the end of a unit to make a game that reviews material learned in that unit.
I still do not know very much about iStopMotion, but I am sure I will get to learn more about it as I create my own later this semester.
Designing Music with Composition Software
I do not know anything about composing music, with or without technology. However, I am starting to learn how to use Garage Band and am becoming more knowledgeable about how to use programs like this and others in the classroom. Impromptu is a software that can easily be used by young children to design music. I think designing music can be fun and engaging for students and could possibly help the more music challenged (like myself) become more musical. However, I think time is so limited in the classroom that I am not sure that I would be able to incorporate programs like this in my classroom on a regular basis. However, if I did have the time, I would use it to expand on my students' knowledge of music. I would also use it with young elementary students to work on patterns.
When I first started reading this chapter, I thought nothing would be useful for the lower grades. However, as I read on, I realized young children can design with technologies. As I continue to learn more about this, I will become more inclined to incorporate many of these programs in my classroom.
Learning by Designing In and Out of Schools
I was not familiar with anything involving designing before reading this chapter. I also had never thought of using designing in the classroom. I do agree, though, that designing is a lot like problem solving in that both involve trying to find a problem and then creating a solution to solve the problem.
Drawing Design Ideas with Computer-aided Design Software
Computer-aided software makes designing much easier than using hand drawings. They can be more in depth and easier to understand for the viewer. I do not have much experience with these sorts of programs. My only experience with computer-aided software was AUTO-CAD which I used when I was working at an architecture firm in high school. I definitely remember that it was much easier and organized to work with this program than with pencil and paper. I think using these programs in schools does seem interesting and I tried to look up more information about Pro/DESKTOP on the website and was unable to find too much. However, I did get to see some pictures of students in a class using it and it looked like a very engaging class. Although this does seem good for students, I do not know that I would use this in an elementary classroom. It looks very complicated, but perhaps I could use some designs made by high school students about things I am teaching in my elementary class.
I thought SketchUp was a very interesting program and one that I, as an adult, would enjoy using. However, I think this software is still too advanced for elementary students.
Testing Designs and Building Mental Models with Simulation Software
I think that using simulation software to build models that would possibly be too complex or expensive to actually build is a good idea. I think these are more appropriate for upper elementary and beyond. I do believe that I started learning about simple machines in my late elementary years and I did have difficulty understanding them. I think if I was able to build and see a simulation of the simple machines, I would have understood them better. I would use these types of simulators in my classroom in this way.
Developing Programming Skills While Designing in the Media Arts
Before this class, I knew nothing about programming. Now that I have been exposed to Scratch, I feel that I know a little more but not very much, However, scratch has helped me open my mind to the idea of young children doing programing. I do not know that many other programs are this simple, but at least this one could be useful in the classroom. I would use Scratch in my classroom for group presentations or projects. Students could work together to present ideas. I also would have my students use Scratch at the end of a unit to make a game that reviews material learned in that unit.
I still do not know very much about iStopMotion, but I am sure I will get to learn more about it as I create my own later this semester.
Designing Music with Composition Software
I do not know anything about composing music, with or without technology. However, I am starting to learn how to use Garage Band and am becoming more knowledgeable about how to use programs like this and others in the classroom. Impromptu is a software that can easily be used by young children to design music. I think designing music can be fun and engaging for students and could possibly help the more music challenged (like myself) become more musical. However, I think time is so limited in the classroom that I am not sure that I would be able to incorporate programs like this in my classroom on a regular basis. However, if I did have the time, I would use it to expand on my students' knowledge of music. I would also use it with young elementary students to work on patterns.
When I first started reading this chapter, I thought nothing would be useful for the lower grades. However, as I read on, I realized young children can design with technologies. As I continue to learn more about this, I will become more inclined to incorporate many of these programs in my classroom.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Ch. 7 Response
Communicating with Technologies
The description of the teenager using many different types of media at the same time is very like me. I will often be watching TV while doing something on my computer while talking on my cell phone.
Exchanging Ideas Asynchronously with Discussion Boards
Many people need time to think of how to respond in conversations or to answer questions. I am this type of person. Using discussion boards allows this type of person to respond when he or she has thought out an answer and is ready to respond. The discussion boards are also helpful in that they are usually about a specific topic, which enables users to know what the topic is and separate thoughts about this topic from thoughts about other topics. The use of discussion boards can be very useful in the classroom as they are a good way to communicate over long distances, which can be helpful when working on projects with students or classrooms in other places. I checked out ePALS and several projects, etc and found it to be a very interesting website, which I would consider using in my classroom. Also discussion boards can be very helpful for the types of students discussed previously, who like to have time to think about questions before answering them.
Exchanging Ideas Synchronously with Interactive Chats and Messaging
Internet Relay Chat is chatting between groups of people. I have never done this and I think I would be very confused. I used to use instant messaging a lot in middle school and highschool years. I definitely did discuss homework on IM and I think it was a good way to communicate and learn from other students. It was also helpful (and a tiny bit challenging at first) to communicate with several people at once. I think I even compared some of my learning from the various people I was talking to. I think allowing students to use IM could be very useful if they are working on projects with students in other schools, but probably not students in far away time zones.
Making Connections through Videoconferencing
I think videoconferencing is a good way to get students to learn from experts in the fields they are learning about instead of just listening to the teacher, who does not know as much as the expert, lecture. Videoconferencing seems like a cheaper way for students to learn some very interesting things, such as things in outer space and Holocaust survivor stories, without having to travel to museums or lecture halls. I think I will use videoconferencing in my classroom if possible and I will be sure to follow up the sessions with activities that build on the knowledge just learned.
Broadcasting with Podcasts and Internet Radio
Before this class, I had been very unfamiliar with podcasts. I am beginning to learn that they are recordings that can be heard over the internet. I think these can be useful in classrooms as students can present projects, etc using their voice instead of writing or some other form of presentation. I also like the idea of using podcasts as a form of communication between students in far away schools. This allows students to actually hear each other when they communicate, which is a nice change to simply reading messages. Before this class, I had never thought of using iPods for anything other than listening to music. I see now that students can use these to listen to podcasts as a part of learning. I checked out the learninginhand.com website and found it to be very interesting and it contained lots of information on podcasts and iPods.
The description of the teenager using many different types of media at the same time is very like me. I will often be watching TV while doing something on my computer while talking on my cell phone.
Exchanging Ideas Asynchronously with Discussion Boards
Many people need time to think of how to respond in conversations or to answer questions. I am this type of person. Using discussion boards allows this type of person to respond when he or she has thought out an answer and is ready to respond. The discussion boards are also helpful in that they are usually about a specific topic, which enables users to know what the topic is and separate thoughts about this topic from thoughts about other topics. The use of discussion boards can be very useful in the classroom as they are a good way to communicate over long distances, which can be helpful when working on projects with students or classrooms in other places. I checked out ePALS and several projects, etc and found it to be a very interesting website, which I would consider using in my classroom. Also discussion boards can be very helpful for the types of students discussed previously, who like to have time to think about questions before answering them.
Exchanging Ideas Synchronously with Interactive Chats and Messaging
Internet Relay Chat is chatting between groups of people. I have never done this and I think I would be very confused. I used to use instant messaging a lot in middle school and highschool years. I definitely did discuss homework on IM and I think it was a good way to communicate and learn from other students. It was also helpful (and a tiny bit challenging at first) to communicate with several people at once. I think I even compared some of my learning from the various people I was talking to. I think allowing students to use IM could be very useful if they are working on projects with students in other schools, but probably not students in far away time zones.
Making Connections through Videoconferencing
I think videoconferencing is a good way to get students to learn from experts in the fields they are learning about instead of just listening to the teacher, who does not know as much as the expert, lecture. Videoconferencing seems like a cheaper way for students to learn some very interesting things, such as things in outer space and Holocaust survivor stories, without having to travel to museums or lecture halls. I think I will use videoconferencing in my classroom if possible and I will be sure to follow up the sessions with activities that build on the knowledge just learned.
Broadcasting with Podcasts and Internet Radio
Before this class, I had been very unfamiliar with podcasts. I am beginning to learn that they are recordings that can be heard over the internet. I think these can be useful in classrooms as students can present projects, etc using their voice instead of writing or some other form of presentation. I also like the idea of using podcasts as a form of communication between students in far away schools. This allows students to actually hear each other when they communicate, which is a nice change to simply reading messages. Before this class, I had never thought of using iPods for anything other than listening to music. I see now that students can use these to listen to podcasts as a part of learning. I checked out the learninginhand.com website and found it to be very interesting and it contained lots of information on podcasts and iPods.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Ch. 6 Response
Community Building with Technologies
Knowledge Building with Knowledge Forum
Some people believe that schools want students to only be able to demonstrate knowledge and not truly understand it. I had never really thought of this. I think schools should think what students know and understand is important. I definitely agree that when students share knowledge with each other they will learn and understand more. Knowledge Forum is a group workplace that allows students to work together and build their own knowledge. This forum allows students to store and share notes and ideas. All students are expected to be contributors in this forum. I have never heard of Knowledge Forum, but it sounds like a very interesting way for students to share ideas and learn from each other. I also like that it is a combination of writing assignments and live discussions.
Co-constructing Knowledge with Wikis
I have never used wikis. However, I am somewhat familiar with them as I constantly use wikipedia so I do know that they allow allow users to edit and add to information. I had always heard that users need to be somewhat skeptical when using wikis since some information may not be true, but the book makes a good point that any website can have false information and wikis might actually have less since they are constantly reviewed by people. Wikis are a good way for students to get involved in writing and by posting their writings online, students will be more motivated and interested in writing. I checked out wikitravel (which I had never heard of) and found it quite interesting and easy to use. It would be very useful in a Social Studies class that involved world geography as students can "travel" all over the world. I would definitely use wikis in my classroom as a way for students to collaborate on projects.
Finding Colleagues with Interactive Blogs
I had never written or even looked at a blog before this class. I do agree that they are a good way for people, especially educators, to share ideas. I also really like the idea of having students read and respond to blogs written by people traveling and exploring, especially since children cannot really be out exploring at this point in their lives. I tried to look up Arctic Ed, but could not find his blog. However, I did find several other travel blogs including travelblog.org which allows people to write blogs as they travel and readers to find blogs about people traveling in specific areas. I also like the idea of students writing blogs to share what they are learning with each other and expand upon what they are learning. I also like the idea of using blogs for journal time instead of simply writing the journal entry in a notebook for the teacher to collect and check.
Building International Communities with iEARN Learning Circles, Global Schoolhouse, and Kidlink
I am not very familiar with international communities. When I was in school, the only interaction we had with students from other areas was through penpals. I do think it is very important for students to learn about different areas of the world and the cultures that are in those areas. By having these communities, students can not only learn about these other places, but learn about them from students who actually live there and make international friends in the process. I checked out kidlink which is available in at least ten different languages. Currently it is having a hunt for country capitals where a classroom chooses a capital and gives clues about it for other classrooms to try to guess. This sounds like a fun way for students to learn about many different country capitals while interacting with classrooms all over the world.
Building Professional Teacher Communities with Tapped In and Teacher Talk
Teachers should definitely communicate with other teachers to share thoughts and ideas about teaching and working with students. I had never heard of Tapped In and it seems like an extensive community of teachers and people involved in education. It allows users to not only communicate together as a whole, but individually with certain people and with the community by getting calendars and newsletters. Teachers can also connect their own students with other students.
Discussing Interests with Usenet and Netnews Groups
Discussion boards are a great way for people to discuss common interests or topics. I have used them before traveling to discuss places to visit or avoid with others who have recently been in that place. Although I think these sites can be helpful for adults, I am not sure that they are suitable for children. Children could do similar things by using blogs or wikis about their topics of interest.
Knowledge Building with Knowledge Forum
Some people believe that schools want students to only be able to demonstrate knowledge and not truly understand it. I had never really thought of this. I think schools should think what students know and understand is important. I definitely agree that when students share knowledge with each other they will learn and understand more. Knowledge Forum is a group workplace that allows students to work together and build their own knowledge. This forum allows students to store and share notes and ideas. All students are expected to be contributors in this forum. I have never heard of Knowledge Forum, but it sounds like a very interesting way for students to share ideas and learn from each other. I also like that it is a combination of writing assignments and live discussions.
Co-constructing Knowledge with Wikis
I have never used wikis. However, I am somewhat familiar with them as I constantly use wikipedia so I do know that they allow allow users to edit and add to information. I had always heard that users need to be somewhat skeptical when using wikis since some information may not be true, but the book makes a good point that any website can have false information and wikis might actually have less since they are constantly reviewed by people. Wikis are a good way for students to get involved in writing and by posting their writings online, students will be more motivated and interested in writing. I checked out wikitravel (which I had never heard of) and found it quite interesting and easy to use. It would be very useful in a Social Studies class that involved world geography as students can "travel" all over the world. I would definitely use wikis in my classroom as a way for students to collaborate on projects.
Finding Colleagues with Interactive Blogs
I had never written or even looked at a blog before this class. I do agree that they are a good way for people, especially educators, to share ideas. I also really like the idea of having students read and respond to blogs written by people traveling and exploring, especially since children cannot really be out exploring at this point in their lives. I tried to look up Arctic Ed, but could not find his blog. However, I did find several other travel blogs including travelblog.org which allows people to write blogs as they travel and readers to find blogs about people traveling in specific areas. I also like the idea of students writing blogs to share what they are learning with each other and expand upon what they are learning. I also like the idea of using blogs for journal time instead of simply writing the journal entry in a notebook for the teacher to collect and check.
Building International Communities with iEARN Learning Circles, Global Schoolhouse, and Kidlink
I am not very familiar with international communities. When I was in school, the only interaction we had with students from other areas was through penpals. I do think it is very important for students to learn about different areas of the world and the cultures that are in those areas. By having these communities, students can not only learn about these other places, but learn about them from students who actually live there and make international friends in the process. I checked out kidlink which is available in at least ten different languages. Currently it is having a hunt for country capitals where a classroom chooses a capital and gives clues about it for other classrooms to try to guess. This sounds like a fun way for students to learn about many different country capitals while interacting with classrooms all over the world.
Building Professional Teacher Communities with Tapped In and Teacher Talk
Teachers should definitely communicate with other teachers to share thoughts and ideas about teaching and working with students. I had never heard of Tapped In and it seems like an extensive community of teachers and people involved in education. It allows users to not only communicate together as a whole, but individually with certain people and with the community by getting calendars and newsletters. Teachers can also connect their own students with other students.
Discussing Interests with Usenet and Netnews Groups
Discussion boards are a great way for people to discuss common interests or topics. I have used them before traveling to discuss places to visit or avoid with others who have recently been in that place. Although I think these sites can be helpful for adults, I am not sure that they are suitable for children. Children could do similar things by using blogs or wikis about their topics of interest.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Ch. 5 Response
Learning by Building Models
When I first think of models, I think of hands on representations of things that teachers build to demonstrate something to the class. Models can also be built by students to aid in their own learning. However, I do see computer programs as models that teach. As I learned from the book and definitely agree, technologies can really only teach students things that they can memorize. These technologies can also analyze students' answers to see if they have memorized these bits of information. Instead of using these types of models, students should use Mindtools. I had never heard of Mindtools, but these tools work better since they force students to teach the computer which implies that they truly understand the concepts. This also helps students think harder and use all of their knowledge from different areas of learning.
Modeling Knowledge with Concept Maps
Concept mapping is one way for students to model what they know. Concept maps are like people's brains since they show how information is connected and relates to other bits of information. Students must know the information in order to make a concept map. Concept maps are also useful as they can show students how to get to a new concept from one that they already know and understand. I will use concept maps in my classroom as a way to connect new information with prior knowledge. I have previously discussed concept mapping programs that I will use in my classroom. I also think a good way for students to connect all of the knowledge that they have learned throughout the year in all subjects is to create a large concept map that they will add to throughout the course of the year.
Modeling Systems with Systems Dynamic Tools
Systems are complicated concepts to teach and learn. I know I had trouble, particularly in high school, with various systems that I had to learn especially in my biology class. They are also more complicated so a simple model cannot show how the system works and the ways in which little parts of it can affect the whole thing. By having computer programs that can demonstrate how these systems work and all of the little things that go into a system, I think students will have a much easier time fully understanding these systems. Although there are fewer systems that are taught in the elementary school years, I will use some form of a systems dynamic tool to teach the systems to my class.
Modeling Problems with Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are a good way for students to not only organize their own knowledge, but also to simulate concepts to understand them better. In high school, I used spreadsheets to form graphs by using collected data. This gave me a visual representation of what I had learned. The idea to input different data to change the graphs to show how different bits of data affect other bits is a excellent way to show how all things affect each other, especially when it is difficult to understand by just explaining. I will use spreadsheets in my classroom, but I do think they are a little difficult for young children to use. I will probably start by making a spreadsheet to show my students and then allow them to work together to make their own.
Modeling Thinking with Expert Systems
I had never heard of an expert system which is a system that is an artificial decision maker. An expert system is just like an expert person but as a computer. I think of this as being similar to a doctor verse webmd. Students can use these expert systems to reflect on how they would solve a problem. Students can use these to lay out the steps used when solving a problem.
Modeling Experiences with Databases
Databases are collections of things which can include stories, articles, ideas, and more. Students would most often use these in researching or sharing of their own ideas. They can also learn a lot of information from things they find in databases. Databases are also very well organized so information is easy to find. I looked up the website http://kite.missouri.edu and was fascinated by how many stories they had about using technology in the classroom. I tried using the database and found stories about incorporating technology with every subject in every grade level. I will continue to use that database as a resource.
Why Build Models with Mindtools
As I mentioned before, I was not really familiar with mindtools. Although the ideas I read about in the book were not new to me, I had not necessarily thought about using them in the classroom. I think these mindtools can be very useful in the classroom as they give students a way to construct their own knowledge in a way that makes the most sense for them.
When I first think of models, I think of hands on representations of things that teachers build to demonstrate something to the class. Models can also be built by students to aid in their own learning. However, I do see computer programs as models that teach. As I learned from the book and definitely agree, technologies can really only teach students things that they can memorize. These technologies can also analyze students' answers to see if they have memorized these bits of information. Instead of using these types of models, students should use Mindtools. I had never heard of Mindtools, but these tools work better since they force students to teach the computer which implies that they truly understand the concepts. This also helps students think harder and use all of their knowledge from different areas of learning.
Modeling Knowledge with Concept Maps
Concept mapping is one way for students to model what they know. Concept maps are like people's brains since they show how information is connected and relates to other bits of information. Students must know the information in order to make a concept map. Concept maps are also useful as they can show students how to get to a new concept from one that they already know and understand. I will use concept maps in my classroom as a way to connect new information with prior knowledge. I have previously discussed concept mapping programs that I will use in my classroom. I also think a good way for students to connect all of the knowledge that they have learned throughout the year in all subjects is to create a large concept map that they will add to throughout the course of the year.
Modeling Systems with Systems Dynamic Tools
Systems are complicated concepts to teach and learn. I know I had trouble, particularly in high school, with various systems that I had to learn especially in my biology class. They are also more complicated so a simple model cannot show how the system works and the ways in which little parts of it can affect the whole thing. By having computer programs that can demonstrate how these systems work and all of the little things that go into a system, I think students will have a much easier time fully understanding these systems. Although there are fewer systems that are taught in the elementary school years, I will use some form of a systems dynamic tool to teach the systems to my class.
Modeling Problems with Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are a good way for students to not only organize their own knowledge, but also to simulate concepts to understand them better. In high school, I used spreadsheets to form graphs by using collected data. This gave me a visual representation of what I had learned. The idea to input different data to change the graphs to show how different bits of data affect other bits is a excellent way to show how all things affect each other, especially when it is difficult to understand by just explaining. I will use spreadsheets in my classroom, but I do think they are a little difficult for young children to use. I will probably start by making a spreadsheet to show my students and then allow them to work together to make their own.
Modeling Thinking with Expert Systems
I had never heard of an expert system which is a system that is an artificial decision maker. An expert system is just like an expert person but as a computer. I think of this as being similar to a doctor verse webmd. Students can use these expert systems to reflect on how they would solve a problem. Students can use these to lay out the steps used when solving a problem.
Modeling Experiences with Databases
Databases are collections of things which can include stories, articles, ideas, and more. Students would most often use these in researching or sharing of their own ideas. They can also learn a lot of information from things they find in databases. Databases are also very well organized so information is easy to find. I looked up the website http://kite.missouri.edu and was fascinated by how many stories they had about using technology in the classroom. I tried using the database and found stories about incorporating technology with every subject in every grade level. I will continue to use that database as a resource.
Why Build Models with Mindtools
As I mentioned before, I was not really familiar with mindtools. Although the ideas I read about in the book were not new to me, I had not necessarily thought about using them in the classroom. I think these mindtools can be very useful in the classroom as they give students a way to construct their own knowledge in a way that makes the most sense for them.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Ch. 4 Response
Using technology is very helpful with supporting writing. I always knew that you could use some sort of word processing to write more quickly, but had never really thought of ways to incorporate other parts of writing with technology. Technology can be used to help with the organization and planning of writing. One way is through concept maps. You can just write out on a piece of paper concept maps, outlines, etc, but technology can make this process more organized. There are many online tools that can do concept maps. Many of these you have to buy, but I found several that were free to use.
Webspiration- This site seems easy to use and has examples to help get you started. It also has tips and tricks when you might get stuck. This could be very helpful as a college student and as an educator. For all uses and particularly for classroom use, you can make the concept maps very colorful which I think is great for kids and helps them follow along. You can also use lots of cool shapes. I would definitely use this site in my classroom.
http://www.bubbl.us/ - This is another site that is fairly simple to use. It also uses color and has good instructions. This site and webspiration also allow people to work collaboratively on the same project since it is on the web. I could also use this site in my classroom although I think I prefer webspiration.
Technology can also be used to present writing. I have known this for a long time as I and my teachers have been using this for presentations for a long time. I was somewhat surprised to see that the book recommended power point while it seems to get a negative reaction from some teachers these days. Of course, the text wants people to use many of the features that power point has to offer which many people do not. I did not even know about some of these features until reading the book. For example I did not know that there was an "AutoContent" wizard that has different types of slides depending on the type of presentation. I also was only somewhat familiar with adding links into the presentation. I have never done this but I have seen other presenters who have. I also learned that teachers need to make sure that students do not spend too much time on the visual design features of their presentation.
The text also gave suggestions for ways to use technology to help children become more creative writers. The texts mentions using online sites for publishing. I have learned in my previous teaching writing class that publishing students' writings definitely motivates them to write better and to enjoy writing more. I checked out some of the websites suggested in the book and some that I found on my own.
http://www.poetryforge.org/index.html0 This site was suggested in the book. I like that it seemed fairly simple to use for both teachers and students. It definitely seems like something kids could almost use on their own as it gives prompts and recommendations. However, this site was only for poetry and did not seem to have as much freedom as other sites.
http://www.biguniverse.com/ - This website is my favorite. Children can create and share their stories for free. Children can also add pictures and colors to their stories. Children can also read a ton of stories published by other children and some real published books. I think I will definitely use this site in my classroom.
http://www.kidpub.com/ - This is another website where students can write their own stories and read other children's stories. They can also get their books published and enter contests. I also liked that there is a "never-ending" story that children can just keep adding on to. This is a good site; however, it does cost $12.95 per year.
The text also discusses collaborative writing. I feel like I did not really collaborate with other students when in t came to writing in school. However, I do like the idea and learned that there are different types of collaborative writing: intensive collaboration (working side by side on the project), writing that is done apart but work together a little, and writing that occurs sequentially. By working together, students can learn other points of view and practice having different roles. Writing like this can at times used the sites listed above, but many other sites are better. Also these sites will allow students in your classroom to work with students all over the world.
http://docs.google.com/# - This site allows users to upload documents and other users to see and edit these documents. The site also allows the user to make their documents private if needed. The way the site is presented is a little boring so I think it might be more beneficial for older students.
http://www.kidsonthenet.org.uk/ - This website allows children to write their own stories, poems, etc and read those of other children. It also lets children write collaboratively. This site was very student friendly and I liked that it had lots of different topics that children can rite about and it puts all of their writings together.
The texts also recommends peer review and feedback on writing. I found that most of the websites allow people to make comments about the writings. Although this may not be the best form of review since some people might be writing things of little importance, it does allow some feedback.
I found this chapter to be the most useful for classroom use so far and I feel that I learned about a lot of tools that I id not even know existed until searching for them.
Webspiration- This site seems easy to use and has examples to help get you started. It also has tips and tricks when you might get stuck. This could be very helpful as a college student and as an educator. For all uses and particularly for classroom use, you can make the concept maps very colorful which I think is great for kids and helps them follow along. You can also use lots of cool shapes. I would definitely use this site in my classroom.
http://www.bubbl.us/ - This is another site that is fairly simple to use. It also uses color and has good instructions. This site and webspiration also allow people to work collaboratively on the same project since it is on the web. I could also use this site in my classroom although I think I prefer webspiration.
Technology can also be used to present writing. I have known this for a long time as I and my teachers have been using this for presentations for a long time. I was somewhat surprised to see that the book recommended power point while it seems to get a negative reaction from some teachers these days. Of course, the text wants people to use many of the features that power point has to offer which many people do not. I did not even know about some of these features until reading the book. For example I did not know that there was an "AutoContent" wizard that has different types of slides depending on the type of presentation. I also was only somewhat familiar with adding links into the presentation. I have never done this but I have seen other presenters who have. I also learned that teachers need to make sure that students do not spend too much time on the visual design features of their presentation.
The text also gave suggestions for ways to use technology to help children become more creative writers. The texts mentions using online sites for publishing. I have learned in my previous teaching writing class that publishing students' writings definitely motivates them to write better and to enjoy writing more. I checked out some of the websites suggested in the book and some that I found on my own.
http://www.poetryforge.org/index.html0 This site was suggested in the book. I like that it seemed fairly simple to use for both teachers and students. It definitely seems like something kids could almost use on their own as it gives prompts and recommendations. However, this site was only for poetry and did not seem to have as much freedom as other sites.
http://www.biguniverse.com/ - This website is my favorite. Children can create and share their stories for free. Children can also add pictures and colors to their stories. Children can also read a ton of stories published by other children and some real published books. I think I will definitely use this site in my classroom.
http://www.kidpub.com/ - This is another website where students can write their own stories and read other children's stories. They can also get their books published and enter contests. I also liked that there is a "never-ending" story that children can just keep adding on to. This is a good site; however, it does cost $12.95 per year.
The text also discusses collaborative writing. I feel like I did not really collaborate with other students when in t came to writing in school. However, I do like the idea and learned that there are different types of collaborative writing: intensive collaboration (working side by side on the project), writing that is done apart but work together a little, and writing that occurs sequentially. By working together, students can learn other points of view and practice having different roles. Writing like this can at times used the sites listed above, but many other sites are better. Also these sites will allow students in your classroom to work with students all over the world.
http://docs.google.com/# - This site allows users to upload documents and other users to see and edit these documents. The site also allows the user to make their documents private if needed. The way the site is presented is a little boring so I think it might be more beneficial for older students.
http://www.kidsonthenet.org.uk/ - This website allows children to write their own stories, poems, etc and read those of other children. It also lets children write collaboratively. This site was very student friendly and I liked that it had lots of different topics that children can rite about and it puts all of their writings together.
The texts also recommends peer review and feedback on writing. I found that most of the websites allow people to make comments about the writings. Although this may not be the best form of review since some people might be writing things of little importance, it does allow some feedback.
I found this chapter to be the most useful for classroom use so far and I feel that I learned about a lot of tools that I id not even know existed until searching for them.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Response to Ch 3
1. My first impression of Sodaplay was that it was somewhat boring. It also did not come right out and say what it was about. It took quite a bit of exploring with the various game things to figure out what to do. This microworld appears to be used to help with Science and more specifically physics. Its purpose seems to be to allow students to see how various changes in gravity, stickyness, or weight, etc affect physics by actually adjusting those variables. This could be used to help elementary students who are learning physics concepts to actually see how physics works by controlling the variables they are learning about. Without this, they can be taught how these various things affect our world but will not actually be able to see it. By being able to see what they are learning, they will have more meaningful learning about the concepts.
2. Net Frog- My first impression of this simulation was that it was alright, but not amazing and is definitely not the same as actually dissecting a frog. I am not a fan of using simulations for frog dissection. I remember dissecting frogs in 7th grade and absolutely hated it. However, by actually touching the frog and all of its grossness, I think I really learned about dissecting and biology. I also still remember the whole experience to this day. I think if I had used a simulation, I would not. I think students can learn from using this simulation, but they will not remember it forever so I do not think it is as meaningful. However, I think that if circumstances do not allow actual dissecting, this simulation is an acceptable alternative.
Funderstanding Roller Coaster- My first impression of this simulation was that it was somewhat boring but that it did get the idea across. I would probably use this simulation with students because I can quickly show them what we are learning about physics. I can also allow them to experiment with it. This can allow them to explore and learn without having to do something really complicated or costly. I think this does promote meaningful learning since the students are getting to visually see concepts that they are learning about and can physically affect what they see. By doing and seeing the effects of physics, they will most likely truly understand and remember the concepts.
3. http://www.smg2000.org/ The Stock Market Game. This simulation (for grades 4-12)helps students learn about the stock market by giving them "money" that they must invest. This simulation uses real stock market numbers to affect the students' investments. I think this simulation seems very interesting and a good way to learn many things at once. This promotes meaningful learning since students can practice what they are learning and really understand how the stock market works. This simulation affects multiple subjects including math, social studies, and language arts. It also helps students with critical thinking and decision making.
4. Darfur is Dying- My first impression of the game was that it was interesting but a little too complicated for me. I could not really figure out how to do the things necessary in the came. I might use the game with students. I would have to be teaching older elementary students or older and I would only allow it during free time or when students finish their work. I think students could learn about Darfur and see how difficult to do tasks such as getting water and how dangerous it is. I think the game promotes some meaningful learning but mostly I felt like it was just information and students would not necessarily even click on the question marks to get some of that information.
Aviti: The Cost of Life- My first impression was that I had played this game before so I was already familiar with it. I think this game is somewhat similar to the last game in giving information about the hardships of people in these areas. I pretty much feel the same way about this game as I do Darfur is Dying. It is only suitable for older students and I would only use this game during free times. I think this game promotes some meaningful learning by giving out information and by having the players suffer (by losing) in a representative way of the people in Haiti. However, I think some students might just see this game as a competition against the computer and may not actually learn anything.
3rd World Farmer- My first impression of this game and actually this relates to all the games is how depressing they are. My farm survived for 22 turns but I do not know what a good amount of turns is. I think this game shows students how difficult it is to be a farmer in a third world country. However, this game did not have little bits of information about the lives of these people; it simply lets the player experience loss and hardships. I would probably allow this game in my classroom in the same situation as the other two games.
5. http://www.primarygames.com/math/multiplication/index.htm This is a math game for children who know their multiplication tables which would be second grade to fifth grade. It is a fun way to practice multiplication tables while having to do some extra thinking to plan ahead to be competitive. In the game, the student plays against the computer to fill in four squares in a row. This is done by multiplying the given number by a number of your choice that will create an answer that will either block the opponent or help the student get to four squares. The game is fun and challenging but not in a confusing way. This game addresses several of Gee’s principles. It is active learning as the child has to actively come up with numbers to make the multiplication table. It addresses the practice principle as this is a fun way to practice multiplication tables without getting boring.
6. I researched virtual worlds for elementary students and found some examples of how they can be used. This includes interacting with famous people (past and present), exploring rocks, oceans, and other things outside of the classrooms, and connecting with students in other schools. I think the main concern when find virtual worlds for elementary students to use is content. The content needs to be appropriate for their age group as well as being able to actually teach something. I looked up this information on virtual world sites, teacher websites which had reviews, and different projects that researched the use of virtual worlds in classrooms.
http://horizonproject.wikispaces.com/Virtual+Worlds+-+Impact+on+Education
http://www.cs.ucf.edu/~moshell/CREAT/Caracol/TimeTravelRep.html
7. I have never taken any class that taught programming and I know nothing about it. I do not know anything about HTML code or any programming languages. I do not really even understand what programming is. Although I am willing to learn, I definitely struggle with some of these technological types of things.
2. Net Frog- My first impression of this simulation was that it was alright, but not amazing and is definitely not the same as actually dissecting a frog. I am not a fan of using simulations for frog dissection. I remember dissecting frogs in 7th grade and absolutely hated it. However, by actually touching the frog and all of its grossness, I think I really learned about dissecting and biology. I also still remember the whole experience to this day. I think if I had used a simulation, I would not. I think students can learn from using this simulation, but they will not remember it forever so I do not think it is as meaningful. However, I think that if circumstances do not allow actual dissecting, this simulation is an acceptable alternative.
Funderstanding Roller Coaster- My first impression of this simulation was that it was somewhat boring but that it did get the idea across. I would probably use this simulation with students because I can quickly show them what we are learning about physics. I can also allow them to experiment with it. This can allow them to explore and learn without having to do something really complicated or costly. I think this does promote meaningful learning since the students are getting to visually see concepts that they are learning about and can physically affect what they see. By doing and seeing the effects of physics, they will most likely truly understand and remember the concepts.
3. http://www.smg2000.org/ The Stock Market Game. This simulation (for grades 4-12)helps students learn about the stock market by giving them "money" that they must invest. This simulation uses real stock market numbers to affect the students' investments. I think this simulation seems very interesting and a good way to learn many things at once. This promotes meaningful learning since students can practice what they are learning and really understand how the stock market works. This simulation affects multiple subjects including math, social studies, and language arts. It also helps students with critical thinking and decision making.
4. Darfur is Dying- My first impression of the game was that it was interesting but a little too complicated for me. I could not really figure out how to do the things necessary in the came. I might use the game with students. I would have to be teaching older elementary students or older and I would only allow it during free time or when students finish their work. I think students could learn about Darfur and see how difficult to do tasks such as getting water and how dangerous it is. I think the game promotes some meaningful learning but mostly I felt like it was just information and students would not necessarily even click on the question marks to get some of that information.
Aviti: The Cost of Life- My first impression was that I had played this game before so I was already familiar with it. I think this game is somewhat similar to the last game in giving information about the hardships of people in these areas. I pretty much feel the same way about this game as I do Darfur is Dying. It is only suitable for older students and I would only use this game during free times. I think this game promotes some meaningful learning by giving out information and by having the players suffer (by losing) in a representative way of the people in Haiti. However, I think some students might just see this game as a competition against the computer and may not actually learn anything.
3rd World Farmer- My first impression of this game and actually this relates to all the games is how depressing they are. My farm survived for 22 turns but I do not know what a good amount of turns is. I think this game shows students how difficult it is to be a farmer in a third world country. However, this game did not have little bits of information about the lives of these people; it simply lets the player experience loss and hardships. I would probably allow this game in my classroom in the same situation as the other two games.
5. http://www.primarygames.com/math/multiplication/index.htm This is a math game for children who know their multiplication tables which would be second grade to fifth grade. It is a fun way to practice multiplication tables while having to do some extra thinking to plan ahead to be competitive. In the game, the student plays against the computer to fill in four squares in a row. This is done by multiplying the given number by a number of your choice that will create an answer that will either block the opponent or help the student get to four squares. The game is fun and challenging but not in a confusing way. This game addresses several of Gee’s principles. It is active learning as the child has to actively come up with numbers to make the multiplication table. It addresses the practice principle as this is a fun way to practice multiplication tables without getting boring.
6. I researched virtual worlds for elementary students and found some examples of how they can be used. This includes interacting with famous people (past and present), exploring rocks, oceans, and other things outside of the classrooms, and connecting with students in other schools. I think the main concern when find virtual worlds for elementary students to use is content. The content needs to be appropriate for their age group as well as being able to actually teach something. I looked up this information on virtual world sites, teacher websites which had reviews, and different projects that researched the use of virtual worlds in classrooms.
http://horizonproject.wikispaces.com/Virtual+Worlds+-+Impact+on+Education
http://www.cs.ucf.edu/~moshell/CREAT/Caracol/TimeTravelRep.html
7. I have never taken any class that taught programming and I know nothing about it. I do not know anything about HTML code or any programming languages. I do not really even understand what programming is. Although I am willing to learn, I definitely struggle with some of these technological types of things.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Respeonse to Ch. 2
1. After reading the section on Feeds (pp. 18-19), watch the online video 'RSS in Plain English' to further develop your understanding of how RSS works. Then, register for a bloglines or Google reader account. Follow the directions provided by the service.
I registered for a google reader account and began subsribing to my favorite websites.
2. Based on your reading (Information Gathering with Internet Resources, pp. 14-24), evaluate the following websites for accuracy of content. Be sure to identify the procedures you used to evaluate the website.
* Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
* Martin Luther King Jr. - A True Historical Examination
* Dog Island Free Forever
* All About Explorers
* History of Robots in the Victorian Era
* Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division
* The First Human Male Pregnancy
* Which of these is the true World Trade Organization website? http://www.gatt.org OR http://www.wto.org
Procedures:
Relevancy- relates and has examples of things related to what you are searching.
Credibility- source of the information and treatment of the subject
Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus- not accurate, relates to a topic that is a hoax but does have pictures, information about it, etc. It has date developed and last updated, no bibliography but does list other sites, not affiliated with an organization, came from a .net, it is biased in wanting people to save these animals. When searched for Wikipedia and other sources said it is a hoax.
Martin Luther King Jr. - A True Historical Examination- not accurate, little information about MLK, more about white pride, etc. No dates of development or updating, not affiliated with anything. It is biased against MLK.
Dog Island Free Forever- not accurate, no dates, no bibliographies or affiliated organizations, when searched came up as fake.
All About Explorers- not accurate for what it appears to be, information about the explorers is not true, the "about" part of the site explains it was designed by teachers to show students why they should be careful when researching.
History of Robots in the Victorian Era- not accurate, does have dates and related to topic but no bibliography or affiliated organization, when searched on other sites said these robots are not real.
Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division- not accurate, does not have bibliography or legitimate organization affiliated with it, at very bottom of page in small print does say they do not claim to be telling the truth, when searched came up as a hoax.
The First Human Male Pregnancy- not accurate, no dates, bibliography or legitimate organization, when searched came up as false, although this site is false there was a man (who is transgender) who did have a baby in the last few years which this site did mention.
www.wto.org is the real site
3. On p. 24, Jonassen briefly mentions Internet scavenger hunts (AKA treasure hunts or knowledge hunts). Choose a content area and grade level, then do a search for a web-based scavenger hunt. How many do you find? Do any of them promote meaningful learning?
5th grade Christopher Columbus- 5 scavenger hunts, most just had fill in the blanks or short answer sort of questions but one site expected students to use their answers to have more meaningful learning by creating a time line, etc.
4. On pp. 25-26, Jonassen introduces webquests. Visit webquest.org and find a webquest you could use with a grade level you are interested in teaching, then provide an explanation for how that webquest you've selected is more than an 'electronic worksheet'. Use Jonassen's criteria for a well-designed webquest. That is, does the webquest incorporate cooperative learning? Does it incorporate consideration of multiple learning perspectives? Does it incorporate analysis and synthesis of information? Does it incorporate creation of original products that demonstrate knowledge gained? Is it open-ended? Is it student-directed?
A President to Lead Them All
Students are in groups and working together so it is cooperative learning. There are different learning perspectives involved as students have to use a computer to research, write a paper, and make a poster. Students are expected to analyze information about different presidents and synthesize it to decide which one they think will be the best. Students are required to present the information in their own way with the instructions given and present whatever information they think is necessary for the interesting facts portion. It is very open-ended as the students are expected to find whatever information is necessary with some guidelines to convince the class of their choice. It is student directed as students are finding the information with just a little bit of prompting and presenting the information to the class.
5. Search the web for an example of an elementary teacher who uses handhelds in his/her classroom. Provide an overview of how the teacher integrates handhelds. Does the teacher's use of handhelds allow her/him to do something s/he couldn't do before OR does the teacher's use of handhelds allow her/him to do something s/he could do before only better?
I found an example of a teacher who used handhelds in her 5th grade classroom. This specific time she was doing a social studies economics unit about the Great Depression. Students basically bought and then traded shares, started businesses and created a town by using their handhelds to beam information to the teacher and each other as well as used various programs similar to Microsoft Word and a calculator, etc. The use of handhelds allowed the teacher to do something she could do before but better. For example the students used the handhelds to calculate their losses and gains which could have been done with a calculator. They also bid on shares by beaming to the teacher instead of shouting out which the teacher said made this a quieter experience. Overall, the lessons could have been done without handhelds and really without any technology but the handhelds made the lesson easier (as in time in organization) and probably more fun for the students.
6. After reading the section on online survey tools (pp. 36-39), take this online survey. This survey was created using Zoomerang, one of the survey tools mentioned by the author.
I took the survey.
I registered for a google reader account and began subsribing to my favorite websites.
2. Based on your reading (Information Gathering with Internet Resources, pp. 14-24), evaluate the following websites for accuracy of content. Be sure to identify the procedures you used to evaluate the website.
* Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
* Martin Luther King Jr. - A True Historical Examination
* Dog Island Free Forever
* All About Explorers
* History of Robots in the Victorian Era
* Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division
* The First Human Male Pregnancy
* Which of these is the true World Trade Organization website? http://www.gatt.org OR http://www.wto.org
Procedures:
Relevancy- relates and has examples of things related to what you are searching.
Credibility- source of the information and treatment of the subject
Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus- not accurate, relates to a topic that is a hoax but does have pictures, information about it, etc. It has date developed and last updated, no bibliography but does list other sites, not affiliated with an organization, came from a .net, it is biased in wanting people to save these animals. When searched for Wikipedia and other sources said it is a hoax.
Martin Luther King Jr. - A True Historical Examination- not accurate, little information about MLK, more about white pride, etc. No dates of development or updating, not affiliated with anything. It is biased against MLK.
Dog Island Free Forever- not accurate, no dates, no bibliographies or affiliated organizations, when searched came up as fake.
All About Explorers- not accurate for what it appears to be, information about the explorers is not true, the "about" part of the site explains it was designed by teachers to show students why they should be careful when researching.
History of Robots in the Victorian Era- not accurate, does have dates and related to topic but no bibliography or affiliated organization, when searched on other sites said these robots are not real.
Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division- not accurate, does not have bibliography or legitimate organization affiliated with it, at very bottom of page in small print does say they do not claim to be telling the truth, when searched came up as a hoax.
The First Human Male Pregnancy- not accurate, no dates, bibliography or legitimate organization, when searched came up as false, although this site is false there was a man (who is transgender) who did have a baby in the last few years which this site did mention.
www.wto.org is the real site
3. On p. 24, Jonassen briefly mentions Internet scavenger hunts (AKA treasure hunts or knowledge hunts). Choose a content area and grade level, then do a search for a web-based scavenger hunt. How many do you find? Do any of them promote meaningful learning?
5th grade Christopher Columbus- 5 scavenger hunts, most just had fill in the blanks or short answer sort of questions but one site expected students to use their answers to have more meaningful learning by creating a time line, etc.
4. On pp. 25-26, Jonassen introduces webquests. Visit webquest.org and find a webquest you could use with a grade level you are interested in teaching, then provide an explanation for how that webquest you've selected is more than an 'electronic worksheet'. Use Jonassen's criteria for a well-designed webquest. That is, does the webquest incorporate cooperative learning? Does it incorporate consideration of multiple learning perspectives? Does it incorporate analysis and synthesis of information? Does it incorporate creation of original products that demonstrate knowledge gained? Is it open-ended? Is it student-directed?
A President to Lead Them All
Students are in groups and working together so it is cooperative learning. There are different learning perspectives involved as students have to use a computer to research, write a paper, and make a poster. Students are expected to analyze information about different presidents and synthesize it to decide which one they think will be the best. Students are required to present the information in their own way with the instructions given and present whatever information they think is necessary for the interesting facts portion. It is very open-ended as the students are expected to find whatever information is necessary with some guidelines to convince the class of their choice. It is student directed as students are finding the information with just a little bit of prompting and presenting the information to the class.
5. Search the web for an example of an elementary teacher who uses handhelds in his/her classroom. Provide an overview of how the teacher integrates handhelds. Does the teacher's use of handhelds allow her/him to do something s/he couldn't do before OR does the teacher's use of handhelds allow her/him to do something s/he could do before only better?
I found an example of a teacher who used handhelds in her 5th grade classroom. This specific time she was doing a social studies economics unit about the Great Depression. Students basically bought and then traded shares, started businesses and created a town by using their handhelds to beam information to the teacher and each other as well as used various programs similar to Microsoft Word and a calculator, etc. The use of handhelds allowed the teacher to do something she could do before but better. For example the students used the handhelds to calculate their losses and gains which could have been done with a calculator. They also bid on shares by beaming to the teacher instead of shouting out which the teacher said made this a quieter experience. Overall, the lessons could have been done without handhelds and really without any technology but the handhelds made the lesson easier (as in time in organization) and probably more fun for the students.
6. After reading the section on online survey tools (pp. 36-39), take this online survey. This survey was created using Zoomerang, one of the survey tools mentioned by the author.
I took the survey.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Response to Chapter 1
- What is your first impression of this textbook based on reading the preface and first chapter? The book wants to give us ideas on how learners can use technology. It also wants future teachers to learn ways to use technology that will allow their students to construct their own knowledge. The book seems to really want teachers to step back, which is something that is commonly taught in many of our classes. The book also wants us to take risks. The book so far seems to have good information and should be helpful.
- Jonassen identifies 5 characteristics of meaningful learning. How do these 5 characteristics compare with your own understanding of what meaningful learning is? Active, constructive, intentional, authentic, and cooperative are the characteristics identified by Jonassen. I very much agree with these as a person needs to be actively involved in constructing their own knowledge. A person also needs to be intentionally fulfilling his or her goal to learn something. A person will also want to learn something a lot more if they can see how it is useful in the real world and it will the be more meaningful to them. People also learn well when working with others and can learn from others.
- As a student you have observed the teaching process for more than 15 years. Some authors refer to this as an apprenticeship of observation. Reflecting back as a K-12 and college student, how have you seen technology used as teaching and learning tool? I have mostly seen technology used to teach as in learning from technology. I have seen many teachers use power points or videos to spit out information. In high school and college I also used technology as a tool to make work somewhat easy by using word processing and spreadsheets, etc. In elementary school, I do believe I was able to explore and learn with technology a little, but at the same time I was mostly just being taught how to use the technology.
- In your own words, what is the difference between ‘learning from technology’ and ‘learning with technology’? Learning from technology is having some form of technology present the information to the students or using technology as a device to help practice learning. Learning with technology is using technology as a partner that helps a student explore learning but does not tell the student what to learn.
- Who is David Jonassen? Find out more about his background and professional interests. David Jonassen is a professor at the
- Occasionally, you may come across unfamiliar terms in the reading. Rather than ignore them (a strategy struggling readers use), be sure to understand what these new words mean. This is great practice for the GRE. Also, when we discuss the readings in class, I will randomly call on students to define unfamiliar terms using their own words. For example, do you know what an ‘epiphenomenon’ is? Can you define the word ‘nascent’? Both of these terms are used in Ch. 1. Epiphenomenon- phenomenon that occurs with or results from another but is not necessarily related to it. nascent- recently coming into existence
- Choose one question from the ‘Things to Think About’ section on pp. 10-12. Respond to this question. Be sure to identify the question to which you are responding. 10. I have tried to cook things I have watched on TV and have not been as successful as they are. Usually the chefs on TV shows a recipe or some tips but now how to actually cook. For instance, they do not show you how to knead dough, just what to do after it is kneaded. Also, observing them does not let me practice, and I think they make what they do look so easy because they have done it many more times than I have. For example, they probably chop vegetables at least 3 times faster than I do. Although, my dishes usually turn out tasting pretty good because of their recipes, the dishes do not look nearly as nice. Overall, I think you can get ideas from watching cooking shows but you will not learn to cook unless you experience it and practice.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Response to Growing Up Online
Overall, I was shocked by what I saw in this video. Growing up, I had fairly strict parents who did not allow me to have my own computer and watched everything I did on the computer. Although I think they were overdoing it, I was amazed to see how much freedom the kids in the video have. I was shocked at the things these young teenagers were doing and surprised that they were doing these things fully knowing that their parents would not be happy with it.
Although I have heard of people getting into fights and bullying, I have never personally known anyone involved in this. I also do not know anyone who has become involved in a relationship purely online (this does not include adults who use online dating). Most of the stories and situations were things I had heard of but am not that familiar with such as creating different identities and websites for eating disorders. I was most shocked by the story about the 13 year old boy who committed suicide and was encouraged to do so by an online friend. I have never heard of people encouraging that and using websites to do so.
I was not as surprised about the cheating and use of Spark Notes, etc in the school. I know before the internet it was a lot more work to copy something. This day in age it is quite easy and I think it is making it easier for kids to learn less or only learn the bare minimum to pass a class. However, technology in the classroom can be a good thing and I did see lots of good uses of it in the video.
Although I have heard of people getting into fights and bullying, I have never personally known anyone involved in this. I also do not know anyone who has become involved in a relationship purely online (this does not include adults who use online dating). Most of the stories and situations were things I had heard of but am not that familiar with such as creating different identities and websites for eating disorders. I was most shocked by the story about the 13 year old boy who committed suicide and was encouraged to do so by an online friend. I have never heard of people encouraging that and using websites to do so.
I was not as surprised about the cheating and use of Spark Notes, etc in the school. I know before the internet it was a lot more work to copy something. This day in age it is quite easy and I think it is making it easier for kids to learn less or only learn the bare minimum to pass a class. However, technology in the classroom can be a good thing and I did see lots of good uses of it in the video.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
technology belief statement
I believe Educational Technology is very important and useful in the classroom as it expands the classroom to allow exploring in the technological world which includes the whole world. This can help students expand their knowledge of the world outside of their classroom or hometown. It also can make things easier for students with disabilities or students who need a slightly differently structured curriculum. I will use Educational Technology in my classroom as a resource and as an aid for students.
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