In the first article, “The World Wide Web: Interfaces, Databases, and Applications for Education” by Richard Repp, there are several pros and cons listed to using databases in the classroom. The first pro listed was that databases can help streamline information and be quickly and easily accessed on the internet. Repp also suggests using File Maker to create pre- and post-tests to evaluate student progress with subject material. There are some simple formats for databases, but there are also fancier ones, too. Repp suggests using “more complicated procedures for web gateways when: A teacher is maintaining web pages that change frequently, such as calendars and schedules, when two or more people need to update databases or webpages, and when a teacher has information that is better presented in a nonlinear or searchable manner.” Databases can be problematic in some cases, though. Sometimes storage space is an issue, as well as student privacy. Repp closes by suggesting that educators who are serious about using databases in their classrooms invest in either File Maker Pro or Claris Home Page 3.0.
The second article, “The Database: America’s Presidents” by Beth Holmes details how databases are a unique technological tool to implement in the classroom. Holmes states that databases are valuable because they play into children’s natural curiosity and desire to collect and classify things. If children are eager to collect baseball cards and Barbies, she argues, why not have them collect information? Holmes continues her case by adding that while students used to be able to get away with just reading, writing, and arithmetic, students now need the “Six C’s: Compute, communicate, conclude, confirm, categorize, and classify.” Students need to understand how to synthesize information in an increasingly tech-driven world. Databases “make sense of collections” and help students “arrange, sort, filter, and manipulate data.” Indeed, databases seem to be a unique way to gather data that would be interesting to implement in the classroom.
The last article, “Bells and Whistles: Organizing Data for Whole-Class Use” by Jessica Kahn offered a few more tidbits of info on databases. One reason to use databases, Kahn asserts, is that you can even use them in one computer classrooms. What you need to do is organize the class so that they can all contribute information. Then you design the database form, and ask database questions about relationships among bits of information. This encourages higher order thinking, as students must consider relationships between types of information and also consider how to organize the information: in a pop-up menu, value-list, check-box, field-as-text, number, date-time, or yes-no format. With so many options to choose from, it is guaranteed that you will involve the entire class and also encourage critical thinking.
Until I completed this assignment, I had no idea that databases had such a wide range of uses. They are unique in their ability to synthesize data and to get a group of individuals involved in the gathering and processing of information. I think databases would be a good way to get students involved in the class, and I will consider using them in my future classroom.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Bridging the Digital Divide and Wikis
The article “Bridging the Digital Divide: A Building Block For Teachers” by Colleen Swain and Tamara Pearson offered some reasons why there is a divide in the use of computers in different classrooms. Despite the obvious, such as a divide of income and availability of technology (such as how many computers are available) there was also the interesting point that part of the problem is how computers are used. One such problem is access to computers. Citing teacher complaints that most computers were located in locked computer labs, the authors argue that not only do labs limit student access to computers, they also give off the impression that using computers is something special rather than a necessity in education.
The authors suggest that teachers focus their energies on how to best use the computer(s) in their classrooms. If there is only one computer in their classroom, they are advised to place it a central location where everyone has equal access to it. If there are several computers, they should be arranged in work stations where everyone has equal access. I have seen this layout in classrooms when doing classroom observations and it seems to work well.
Another topic of discussion is what software is being used on the computers. Rather than using “canned” software, the authors suggest using products that have students create their own activities, which would foster higher-level thinking. This is an interesting concept to consider.
Lastly, the authors leave us with a few questions: How are the computers in our classrooms organized? Who uses them, and when? What do they do on the computers?
Wikis are an interesting way to share information. I now understand Wikipedia better. Basically, with a wiki you create a page and can invite others to join in posting information on a given subject. In our wiki, we created a page for educators with guidelines on computer usage, copyright information, and ethics. We also included educational links. I think wikis also provided a better form for communication than Google docs did. I think I may use wikis in my future classroom for online group assignments.
The authors suggest that teachers focus their energies on how to best use the computer(s) in their classrooms. If there is only one computer in their classroom, they are advised to place it a central location where everyone has equal access to it. If there are several computers, they should be arranged in work stations where everyone has equal access. I have seen this layout in classrooms when doing classroom observations and it seems to work well.
Another topic of discussion is what software is being used on the computers. Rather than using “canned” software, the authors suggest using products that have students create their own activities, which would foster higher-level thinking. This is an interesting concept to consider.
Lastly, the authors leave us with a few questions: How are the computers in our classrooms organized? Who uses them, and when? What do they do on the computers?
Wikis are an interesting way to share information. I now understand Wikipedia better. Basically, with a wiki you create a page and can invite others to join in posting information on a given subject. In our wiki, we created a page for educators with guidelines on computer usage, copyright information, and ethics. We also included educational links. I think wikis also provided a better form for communication than Google docs did. I think I may use wikis in my future classroom for online group assignments.
Splicing Video into the Writing Process
The ISTE article, “Splicing Video into the Writing Process” by Tammy Pandina Scot and Diane Harding, offered several useful tips for student generated videos in the classroom. The first suggestion they made was to use news report formats, which would cut down on the use of elaborate scenery and costumes. Simply put, students should report what happened. Genres they suggested were mystery and history. Students could either report the facts on a crime that happened (and present a Sherlock Holmes story or an Agatha Christie novel) or report on a historical event that happened, such as the civil war.
The authors also included questions to consider in the video process, such as: What facts need to be included in the video? What different viewpoints need to be represented? How can the emotions and feelings of people be recreated? The authors also suggested showing the finished products to parents at a movie night.
The authors also included questions to consider in the video process, such as: What facts need to be included in the video? What different viewpoints need to be represented? How can the emotions and feelings of people be recreated? The authors also suggested showing the finished products to parents at a movie night.
imovie Continued
imovie filming was interesting. I found that it was rather restrictive to have such a small crew and not many locations available. Our group had three people, including myself, and two of Jeanne’s kids who acted the roles of students. We used an empty classroom for filming and completed the entire movie there. We took turns filming, since there weren’t any scenes with the three of us in it together. It was kind of interesting to get to film as well as act, because it provided two different viewpoints to me. As an educator, I would be more sensitive to student concerns either as the cinematographer or as the actor/actress.
I also enjoyed figuring out how to incorporate our product in the commercial. We created a commercial trying to sell Inspiration Software (which we re-named Motivation). I helped with the close-up scenes showing how to use Inspiration and the links we put in it.
I think if I used imovie in my classroom I would choose a sample video to show to my class first. Then I would explain project requirements using a detailed rubric from rubistar. I would also provide an example of a storyboard. My students would have a workshop prior to filming, to hopefully streamline the process.
Overall, I feel imovie is a valuable tool to use in the classroom and I will likely use it my future class.
I also enjoyed figuring out how to incorporate our product in the commercial. We created a commercial trying to sell Inspiration Software (which we re-named Motivation). I helped with the close-up scenes showing how to use Inspiration and the links we put in it.
I think if I used imovie in my classroom I would choose a sample video to show to my class first. Then I would explain project requirements using a detailed rubric from rubistar. I would also provide an example of a storyboard. My students would have a workshop prior to filming, to hopefully streamline the process.
Overall, I feel imovie is a valuable tool to use in the classroom and I will likely use it my future class.
Copyright and imovies
Copyrights can be confusing and infuriating. For example, the use of video in the classroom can be very restrictive. While it is good that educators be accountable for why they are showing a film in the classroom (by having to explain how it fits into the curriculum) it can still be frustrating if they cannot show a whole film that would benefit the classroom. Of course, it partly depends on the film and the film company. Disney tends to guard their products more closely and therefore it is more difficult to incorporate their films into a classroom. One way I remember that Disney films were used at my high school was in the foreign language department. After tests, our classes sometimes watched Aladdin or The Lion King in Spanish. I think if our instructors had to explain themselves they could successfully argue that watching these films caused students to have to translate the dialogue and therefore encouraged them to think on a higher level.
I’m still not sure about some copyright issues. Suppose a church wanted to sponsor a free movie night for the community? Would they be violating copyright law by showing a free film to the public?
Copyright issues aside, I would like to discuss imovie. I was pretty amazed at what could be done with the imovie software. Our group filmed for about 25 minutes and out of that 25 minutes, only about four minutes of film were used! Still, it was incredible to see how movies really are made, and how they can be used in the classroom. I enjoyed working on the storyboard concept and gathering the props the most, although filming itself was fun. I think with today’s students being so technology oriented videos would be more interesting to them than simple lectures. Also, I found out that educators and students can win awards for their videos! Ivie (Innovative Videos in Education) is a huge organization that offers awards to student and teacher generated videos. I think it may be worth looking into in the future.
I’m still not sure about some copyright issues. Suppose a church wanted to sponsor a free movie night for the community? Would they be violating copyright law by showing a free film to the public?
Copyright issues aside, I would like to discuss imovie. I was pretty amazed at what could be done with the imovie software. Our group filmed for about 25 minutes and out of that 25 minutes, only about four minutes of film were used! Still, it was incredible to see how movies really are made, and how they can be used in the classroom. I enjoyed working on the storyboard concept and gathering the props the most, although filming itself was fun. I think with today’s students being so technology oriented videos would be more interesting to them than simple lectures. Also, I found out that educators and students can win awards for their videos! Ivie (Innovative Videos in Education) is a huge organization that offers awards to student and teacher generated videos. I think it may be worth looking into in the future.
Websites For Educators
The first website I visited wasn’t fancy, but it was very informative. It was created by a math teacher and included an exhaustive list of resources for teaching math. There were probably close to 100 sites listed! I chose it as an example for other educators, because although it isn’t fancy, it is very comprehensive. http://www.sitesforteachers.com/resources_sharp/math/math.html#Math
The second site I visited, http://jimmoulton.org/1.html featured a bunch of sites just for teachers. Many seemed to be designed by other educators, and the main purpose of each was to use technology in the classroom.
I liked http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/Web_des/Web_PageHOME.html because it featured suggestions for educators when creating their own webpages.
I really liked the webpage design on Google. It was easy to use, and it although it took me awhile to complete my webpage, I learned a lot about web design. Perhaps the two most useful tools were the calendar option (which allowed me to post test dates and field trips) and also the links page, which would direct students to places where they could access online texts for Shakespeare or Websters.com.
L.E. Leitz’s article, “Electronic Editing: Taking Advantage of Built-in Tools to Improve Student Writing” was helpful because it alerted me to a feature in Word that I didn’t even know exsisted. Before, I would often peer edit papers for friends and insert comments in red. Now, I can do a more professional editing job and one that doesn’t clutter the content of the original document. Another good part about inserting comments is that you can insert them verbally. This would be good for disabled students who have reading disabilities or who are blind.
The second site I visited, http://jimmoulton.org/1.html featured a bunch of sites just for teachers. Many seemed to be designed by other educators, and the main purpose of each was to use technology in the classroom.
I liked http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/Web_des/Web_PageHOME.html because it featured suggestions for educators when creating their own webpages.
I really liked the webpage design on Google. It was easy to use, and it although it took me awhile to complete my webpage, I learned a lot about web design. Perhaps the two most useful tools were the calendar option (which allowed me to post test dates and field trips) and also the links page, which would direct students to places where they could access online texts for Shakespeare or Websters.com.
L.E. Leitz’s article, “Electronic Editing: Taking Advantage of Built-in Tools to Improve Student Writing” was helpful because it alerted me to a feature in Word that I didn’t even know exsisted. Before, I would often peer edit papers for friends and insert comments in red. Now, I can do a more professional editing job and one that doesn’t clutter the content of the original document. Another good part about inserting comments is that you can insert them verbally. This would be good for disabled students who have reading disabilities or who are blind.
Student Created Video in the Classroom
The first site that I visited, http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.php?articleID=18700330 was helpful because it explained how to teach movie making in the classroom without even needing a camcorder! The concept was introduced through a chart labeled “scaffolding.” Basically, students can be taught video making at a rudimentary level and then work their way up to using a camcorder and student crew of actors/cameramen, etc. The article suggests that a beginning video be created using images already provided for students from a CD-Rom, scanner, or the internet. Sound clips should also be provided, and guidelines for a simple text (storyboard). Students would familiarize themselves with the process of moviemaking and then gradually work their way up to being more independent filmmakers. Thus, while students may begin moviemaking with having everything provided for them, they would progress to creating their own files of images, sound bytes, and text before moving on to using camcorders. The article made sense in that it ensured that every classroom could make movies regardless of what equipment they may have, and also it made students familiar with the process of moviemaking before giving them all the fancy equipment. Two helpful websites were also provided for educators to use to find files online with moviemaking resources: www.teachercreated.com and www.schoolhousevideo.org.
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listdigitalpa.html was the second webpage I visited. It was a great place for educators to start if they wanted to incorporate video technology in their classroom. There were several subheadings that lead to a bunch of different resources. The headings were: Internet resources, glossary, resources, tips, articles, and educational videos and other samples. The glossary was especially helpful in explaining terms associated with filmmaking.
The last website I visited, http://eduwithtechn.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/youtube-classroom-video-collaboration/ was different than the others in that was more a persuasive article to get teachers to use video in their classrooms. However, it introduced and interesting concept: Why not have educators unite and create educational videos that could be posted on YouTube for other students and teachers to use? Then an educator could search for related videos. Examples the author included were the Underground Railroad and global warming. I had never considered using YouTube for educational purposes before, so I was glad that I read this article.
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listdigitalpa.html was the second webpage I visited. It was a great place for educators to start if they wanted to incorporate video technology in their classroom. There were several subheadings that lead to a bunch of different resources. The headings were: Internet resources, glossary, resources, tips, articles, and educational videos and other samples. The glossary was especially helpful in explaining terms associated with filmmaking.
The last website I visited, http://eduwithtechn.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/youtube-classroom-video-collaboration/ was different than the others in that was more a persuasive article to get teachers to use video in their classrooms. However, it introduced and interesting concept: Why not have educators unite and create educational videos that could be posted on YouTube for other students and teachers to use? Then an educator could search for related videos. Examples the author included were the Underground Railroad and global warming. I had never considered using YouTube for educational purposes before, so I was glad that I read this article.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Software Evaluation Standards
I felt that reviewing software was using common sense. Some of the pointers given us were good, though. A few suggestions were given, such as: controllable pace of program, adjustable volume, quick running time, options for saving games and information, and print options. Some specific suggestions that were good to keep in mind were to have an uncluttered screen and a legible text. I would add that there is a difference between an uncluttered screen and a boring screen. I felt that the software my group reviewed, KidWord, was boring visually. It had dull colors, minimal sounds, one font, and virtually no graphics. I think students would learn from it but not be engaged by it.
I would be concerned about older adults using the program because the font didn’t seem adjustable to a larger size. Also, there wasn’t a teacher’s guide. The program simply stated that it was great for all ages. This is not a very clear statement. In fact, I looked up the California State Standards to see which, if any, our software met. It seemed to primarily satisfy K-2, but that could be because the demo I downloaded had many features unavailable without a subscription, including higher levels of the program.
Overall, the software evaluation was a learning experience. I don’t know how much time I will actually spend reviewing software as an educator, however. I suppose it will depend on the funds available to purchase software.
I would be concerned about older adults using the program because the font didn’t seem adjustable to a larger size. Also, there wasn’t a teacher’s guide. The program simply stated that it was great for all ages. This is not a very clear statement. In fact, I looked up the California State Standards to see which, if any, our software met. It seemed to primarily satisfy K-2, but that could be because the demo I downloaded had many features unavailable without a subscription, including higher levels of the program.
Overall, the software evaluation was a learning experience. I don’t know how much time I will actually spend reviewing software as an educator, however. I suppose it will depend on the funds available to purchase software.
Technology for Teaching
Technology in the classroom. What a wonderful thing. I’m finding that there are many different ways to incorporate it into the classroom. I’ll begin with what I feel are the most helpful programs and tools to use and end with what hasn’t helped me much. PowerPoint is probably the most helpful tool so far. Up until this class, I had a rudimentary understanding of the program. I’ve since learned how to incorporate sound, timed transitions, and pictures in the background. I’m pleased with what I’ve learned; it has added more pizzazz to my presentations.
I also really like the program Inspiration. Although I feel it will be more helpful to the middle school mindset, I really think it can benefit high school students as well. For one thing, it is a great graphic organizer that can help students sift through ideas for their papers. It would also be a good way to have a more interactive class brainstorm. I also like the pre-made character maps, themes, and other teaching tools available on popular works like The Glass Menagerie. I could see myself using the program to make many of my own handouts.
Learning to use Google advanced search has been very helpful in my research and I believe students will find it useful as well. It is good to be able to find related sites quickly.
Rubistar was also very helpful in providing a fast, easy, and free way to design rubrics. Much easier than working with a program like Excel.
I don’t think that Excel will be very helpful to me. Although I devised a way to use it for my assignment, I don’t see my self using it on a regular basis. It was a good learning experience, though.
Overall, I am pleased with what I have learned in the course thus far.
I also really like the program Inspiration. Although I feel it will be more helpful to the middle school mindset, I really think it can benefit high school students as well. For one thing, it is a great graphic organizer that can help students sift through ideas for their papers. It would also be a good way to have a more interactive class brainstorm. I also like the pre-made character maps, themes, and other teaching tools available on popular works like The Glass Menagerie. I could see myself using the program to make many of my own handouts.
Learning to use Google advanced search has been very helpful in my research and I believe students will find it useful as well. It is good to be able to find related sites quickly.
Rubistar was also very helpful in providing a fast, easy, and free way to design rubrics. Much easier than working with a program like Excel.
I don’t think that Excel will be very helpful to me. Although I devised a way to use it for my assignment, I don’t see my self using it on a regular basis. It was a good learning experience, though.
Overall, I am pleased with what I have learned in the course thus far.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Webquests
My favorite article on Webquests was “Webquest Sends Students Back in Time.” The article detailed the topics that students could choose for their webquests and then instructed students to write a fictional account of someone who was witnessing the historical event, then prepare a Powerpoint for the class. Topics included the following: The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, the Civil War battle of Gettysburg, Apollo 11 Mission moonwalk, “I Have A Dream” speech, and Frederick Douglass and the underground railroad. Students apparently were very engaged with the material and produced stunning narrations and Powerpoints.
In the MySpace age, I believe any way that educators can get students involved in learning and using technology is good. I particularly liked webquests because they were a valuable tool in preparing students for the kind of research necessary to craft good papers in high school and college. Our group did a webquest on Gone With the Wind, which was useful for literary and historical studies. There were questions on the novel, the film, and the historical events that occurred during the Civil War and the publication of the book. There could be a feminist study of the work (what inspired a woman like Margaret Mitchell to write the book? What events and cultural attitudes shaped her thinking?) There could also be an analysis of the romanticized version of history versus what really happened. Another question dealt with determining what an epic was, which is an important literary term. All in all, I feel webquests are a great educational tool.
In the MySpace age, I believe any way that educators can get students involved in learning and using technology is good. I particularly liked webquests because they were a valuable tool in preparing students for the kind of research necessary to craft good papers in high school and college. Our group did a webquest on Gone With the Wind, which was useful for literary and historical studies. There were questions on the novel, the film, and the historical events that occurred during the Civil War and the publication of the book. There could be a feminist study of the work (what inspired a woman like Margaret Mitchell to write the book? What events and cultural attitudes shaped her thinking?) There could also be an analysis of the romanticized version of history versus what really happened. Another question dealt with determining what an epic was, which is an important literary term. All in all, I feel webquests are a great educational tool.
Using the Internet as a Research Tool and the Value of Spreadsheets in the Classroom
The article, “Teaching Students to Use the Internet as a Research Tool” by Elizabeth Caulfield and Sarah C Symans was a good reminder of how to use the internet wisely for research and how to teach using it to students. The first main point the authors made was to validate your source. They suggested that the reader use the “fee or free” method—if the source is free, it may be questionable, but if it is in a subscription database then it is likely there for a reason—it is valuable. I’ve found that the library has some excellent subscription databases. As a Literature and Writing major, I use the database JSTOR all the time. It features literary analysis, book reviews, and critical essays. The information isn’t always the most current, but it is always a good place to start.
Another good tip in the article is to check the URL of the source. If the URL is referenced in another trustworthy article, then it is likely safe to use. Checking the bibliography of an author’s work is a great (and easy) way to get a list of more reliable sites with related information.
The authors also mentioned that some search engines are better than others. I personally prefer Google. I like it even better now that I know how to navigate the advanced search feature. This would be an excellent searching strategy to teach students.
Library directories are also good places to check for websites. I know the Cal State San Marcos library page has a directory where you can search for databases by subject and then narrow down what kind of database you want. The Literature and Writing listing offers several databases (but I still think JSTOR is the best).
As for citing info, the authors failed to mention that there are several great (and free!) sites where students can easily input data and have it spit out in the proper documented form (MLA, APA, etc). Two good ones are KnightCite and NoodleTools.
Another item the authors mentioned was verifying information found on the web. One way I found to be very helpful is to use Snopes.com. There is usually a listing for about every online heading you can think of. Snopes is a good way to check out those “unbelievable” stories to see if they are really true or not. Also, a good rule of thumb is that if the site ends in .com, it’s not as good of a source as .edu or .gov.
Spreadsheets are another ball game. I don’t think they will be as useful to me as say, using PowerPoint, but for my assignment I devised a spreadsheet that had columns of frequently misspelled words with students’ names and how many words they got right or wrong. I could use the same chart revised later to see how students progressed when they were tested a second time and chart how they improved in their spelling. There may be other uses I figure out later. For now, I’m pleased that I discovered that spreadsheets can be used for more than just accounting.
Another good tip in the article is to check the URL of the source. If the URL is referenced in another trustworthy article, then it is likely safe to use. Checking the bibliography of an author’s work is a great (and easy) way to get a list of more reliable sites with related information.
The authors also mentioned that some search engines are better than others. I personally prefer Google. I like it even better now that I know how to navigate the advanced search feature. This would be an excellent searching strategy to teach students.
Library directories are also good places to check for websites. I know the Cal State San Marcos library page has a directory where you can search for databases by subject and then narrow down what kind of database you want. The Literature and Writing listing offers several databases (but I still think JSTOR is the best).
As for citing info, the authors failed to mention that there are several great (and free!) sites where students can easily input data and have it spit out in the proper documented form (MLA, APA, etc). Two good ones are KnightCite and NoodleTools.
Another item the authors mentioned was verifying information found on the web. One way I found to be very helpful is to use Snopes.com. There is usually a listing for about every online heading you can think of. Snopes is a good way to check out those “unbelievable” stories to see if they are really true or not. Also, a good rule of thumb is that if the site ends in .com, it’s not as good of a source as .edu or .gov.
Spreadsheets are another ball game. I don’t think they will be as useful to me as say, using PowerPoint, but for my assignment I devised a spreadsheet that had columns of frequently misspelled words with students’ names and how many words they got right or wrong. I could use the same chart revised later to see how students progressed when they were tested a second time and chart how they improved in their spelling. There may be other uses I figure out later. For now, I’m pleased that I discovered that spreadsheets can be used for more than just accounting.
Bloom's Taxonomy
The basic categories of Bloom's Taxonomy are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Although I understood these categories, I didn't really grasp how to implement them in the classroom until I read an example on teaching "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" on http://www.ops.org/reading/blooms_taxonomy.html. There were concrete examples for each section that asked questions for students to answer or proposed activities and assignments that could be used to implement Bloom's taxonomy in teaching the lesson.
I found this website helpful especially when I put together my PowerPoint presentation on my lesson plan of Romeo and Juliet. It will also be helpful for future assignments. I am glad that I am now aware of Bloom’s taxonomy because I feel that it is important to know along with Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory. Hopefully, it will allow me to create more diverse lesson plans that encourage higher order thinking and reach all my students at their different levels of learning.
I found this website helpful especially when I put together my PowerPoint presentation on my lesson plan of Romeo and Juliet. It will also be helpful for future assignments. I am glad that I am now aware of Bloom’s taxonomy because I feel that it is important to know along with Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory. Hopefully, it will allow me to create more diverse lesson plans that encourage higher order thinking and reach all my students at their different levels of learning.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Week Five: PowerPoint
I was really impressed with how I could teach using PowerPoint. I discussed with my cohort group in class how to use PowerPoint to teach English lessons. I was really surprised with some of the suggestions I received, such as using it to show family trees. I can see how that would be useful, particularly in teaching Romeo and Juliet. It would be a good visual representation on how all the characters were related to the Capulets or the Montagues.
PowerPoint is also a good way to reach visual learners because they can see the data with pictures and diagrams to support the material. The PowerPoint lesson would address spatial intelligence, linguistic intelligence, and possibly musical intelligence if music or songs related to the material were presented in the PowerPoint as well.
As a future teacher, I believe PowerPoint will not only address the aforementioned multiple intelligences, it will also serve as a great tool in organizing and synthesizing lesson plans and also in developing and sharing curriculum with other educators. I thought sharing our PowerPoint lesson plans this week with our fellow classmates was a great way to see how other educators were utilizing PowerPoint to develop engaging lesson plans. It is also a good format to share information in that it is user-friendly and engaging. One downside is that the PowerPoint files can be too large to send easily as e-mail attachments.
For students, I feel PowerPoint will help make lessons more engaging and may be a really useful tool if they could be posted on a school website. The slides could be printed and used as notes or to catch up on missed work if the student was absent the day the material was presented. PowerPoint presentations would also be good study materials to review for an exam.
There are many ways PowerPoint can be used successfully in education, and I look forward to learning more about its uses and implication in the classroom.
PowerPoint is also a good way to reach visual learners because they can see the data with pictures and diagrams to support the material. The PowerPoint lesson would address spatial intelligence, linguistic intelligence, and possibly musical intelligence if music or songs related to the material were presented in the PowerPoint as well.
As a future teacher, I believe PowerPoint will not only address the aforementioned multiple intelligences, it will also serve as a great tool in organizing and synthesizing lesson plans and also in developing and sharing curriculum with other educators. I thought sharing our PowerPoint lesson plans this week with our fellow classmates was a great way to see how other educators were utilizing PowerPoint to develop engaging lesson plans. It is also a good format to share information in that it is user-friendly and engaging. One downside is that the PowerPoint files can be too large to send easily as e-mail attachments.
For students, I feel PowerPoint will help make lessons more engaging and may be a really useful tool if they could be posted on a school website. The slides could be printed and used as notes or to catch up on missed work if the student was absent the day the material was presented. PowerPoint presentations would also be good study materials to review for an exam.
There are many ways PowerPoint can be used successfully in education, and I look forward to learning more about its uses and implication in the classroom.
Week Four: Mind Maps
I just finished reading the article “Mapping Student Minds” by Ariel Owen. I was impressed with this educator’s use of technology in her class. I had never really considered mind maps or brainstorms as anything more than annoying clutter until I read how she incorporated them into her science class. She was able to use the mind maps as a way for students to track relationships between water quality and the factors that affected it. I can see how this would be a good visual representation of these relationships. It should clarify complex relationships by making them more straightforward and would definitely make the lesson more tangible to visual learners.
One really good suggestion was to start the lesson very simply. Owen introduced the concept of mind mapping on her whiteboard and chose a simple topic “getting good grades” to demonstrate how a mind map worked. Once students were familiar with the concept, they could be introduced to the technology to mind map on a computer using Casual Mapper. I also liked the suggestion to help students trim unnecessary words by asking them to remove at least two repetitive words or concepts from the map. A mind map really isn’t an effective tool if it’s too cluttered to make sense of it!
I think I could apply mind mapping in an English course to explain character relationships and plot devices. I can see how this would be a good tool for students, especially when learning Shakespeare. It would be a neat representation of how everyone in the play was related to one another.
One really good suggestion was to start the lesson very simply. Owen introduced the concept of mind mapping on her whiteboard and chose a simple topic “getting good grades” to demonstrate how a mind map worked. Once students were familiar with the concept, they could be introduced to the technology to mind map on a computer using Casual Mapper. I also liked the suggestion to help students trim unnecessary words by asking them to remove at least two repetitive words or concepts from the map. A mind map really isn’t an effective tool if it’s too cluttered to make sense of it!
I think I could apply mind mapping in an English course to explain character relationships and plot devices. I can see how this would be a good tool for students, especially when learning Shakespeare. It would be a neat representation of how everyone in the play was related to one another.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Week Three Changes in Technology
It was pretty amazing reflecting on the changes in technology that have occurred the past three decades. I can't even picture a computer that takes up a whole room like those that were around in the 1970's! It was also interesting reading student comments in the article, "Oh the Changes We've Seen" because many of the students quoted were reporting on what computer programs they were using in the 1980's. Many of the programs they used for drawing and simple word processing were developed before I was born.
The article detailed how computers in the realm of education used to be simply tools for reviewing assignments. Simple programs could create flashcards or be used to practice vocabulary. Students were expected to be "learners of facts" and could use computers as tools in improving memory and practicing writing. Today, computers provide the sole way for students to produce written assignments (sadly, penmanship has become a lost art in the process). With the advent of the World Wide Web, information for projects and assignments is readily available.
As a future teacher, I feel it is imperative that I am aware of how to use technology and use it as an effective tool to enhance the education of very tech-savvy students. After all, most of the students I will be teaching will be of the My Space generation. They were basically raised in front of computers. While I do not have a My Space page, I do plan on developing a website when I teach so students will have online access to handouts, assignment guidelines, testing information, and an e-mail address where students and parents can reach me. I also want to make sure students understand online ethics and also plagiarism. They need to understand what sites and online journals are academic sources and what ones are not. I still want to teach students how to do research in the library, but they also need to be proficient in online searches.
I also would like to keep track of what tools I could use online for myself as well as students. For me, rubistar is a very helpful website. I also think blogging may be good in order to communicate with other educators. I could also have my students complete blogs, such as when we read Romeo and Juliet. I could have my students keep a blog from either Romeo or Juliet's perspective throughout the play and have them turn that in rather than merely writing an essay. There are many wonderful tools available and I am looking forward to continuing to learn and think more about how incorporating technology into the curriculum will be enriching for myself and my students.
The article detailed how computers in the realm of education used to be simply tools for reviewing assignments. Simple programs could create flashcards or be used to practice vocabulary. Students were expected to be "learners of facts" and could use computers as tools in improving memory and practicing writing. Today, computers provide the sole way for students to produce written assignments (sadly, penmanship has become a lost art in the process). With the advent of the World Wide Web, information for projects and assignments is readily available.
As a future teacher, I feel it is imperative that I am aware of how to use technology and use it as an effective tool to enhance the education of very tech-savvy students. After all, most of the students I will be teaching will be of the My Space generation. They were basically raised in front of computers. While I do not have a My Space page, I do plan on developing a website when I teach so students will have online access to handouts, assignment guidelines, testing information, and an e-mail address where students and parents can reach me. I also want to make sure students understand online ethics and also plagiarism. They need to understand what sites and online journals are academic sources and what ones are not. I still want to teach students how to do research in the library, but they also need to be proficient in online searches.
I also would like to keep track of what tools I could use online for myself as well as students. For me, rubistar is a very helpful website. I also think blogging may be good in order to communicate with other educators. I could also have my students complete blogs, such as when we read Romeo and Juliet. I could have my students keep a blog from either Romeo or Juliet's perspective throughout the play and have them turn that in rather than merely writing an essay. There are many wonderful tools available and I am looking forward to continuing to learn and think more about how incorporating technology into the curriculum will be enriching for myself and my students.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Week Two Tools and Technology
This week I learned a lot about the internet. I didn't think that I would have that much to learn because I often use the internet for research and of course I have e-mail. This week was actually quite beneficial as I learned how to do very advanced searches online. I was able to find poems by searching with the "exact phrase" option. I was also able to search news stories and narrow down what I wanted to find so that I didn't get a lot of repeat hits. This was great because often when I would search for a news story I would get the same results from every major website. I could narrow searches on the Super Tuesday election results and I could also narrow searches on pop culture.
Something else interesting I learned about was the Print Screen option. I had never been aware of that before. I found it helpful in printing the whole screen, but I haven't figured out how to crop a webshot on a PC. I think once I figure it out it will be beneficial for gathering photos and clippings for PowerPoint presentations. It will also be good for personal bookeeping--when I pay a bill online I can print the screen where it says the payment was sucessfully recieved.
The reading this week focused on how students learn and retain information and how educators can use technology to heighten learning. I found the technology and assessments section helpful, since educators will have to be able to teach state tests. However, I agree with the article in that educators should strive to teach students so that they will really learn a concept and not just reatin information. I feel I am already learning a lot about technology which will help me to become a better educator. I will hopefully be better able to relate to my students and also prepare them for a world that is run by ever-increasing technological inventions.
Something else interesting I learned about was the Print Screen option. I had never been aware of that before. I found it helpful in printing the whole screen, but I haven't figured out how to crop a webshot on a PC. I think once I figure it out it will be beneficial for gathering photos and clippings for PowerPoint presentations. It will also be good for personal bookeeping--when I pay a bill online I can print the screen where it says the payment was sucessfully recieved.
The reading this week focused on how students learn and retain information and how educators can use technology to heighten learning. I found the technology and assessments section helpful, since educators will have to be able to teach state tests. However, I agree with the article in that educators should strive to teach students so that they will really learn a concept and not just reatin information. I feel I am already learning a lot about technology which will help me to become a better educator. I will hopefully be better able to relate to my students and also prepare them for a world that is run by ever-increasing technological inventions.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
My first week in EDUC 422 was a bit overwhelming. I was a bit concerned that I had never blogged before and I certainly had never used I Movies or some of the software that the class will be using later in the course. However, I passed the CCR last semester and I am confident that I can use at least the basic programs. This class should be a great learning experience for me. It will be a lot of hard work, but I am confident that it will be worth it.
One bit of information that I found helpful was TinyURL. That website is excellent when you want to provide a link in an e-mail but the web address is too long. I tried using it for a website today, but it linked to the wrong site. My guess is that since the address I entered was so long, I must have left something out or typed a wrong letter somewhere. I will try TinyURL again even though my first attempt wasn't a success.
After reading the Turner article, I picked out some sites that I found helpful. Under section four I went to a site on incorporating spreadsheets into lesson plans. Since I am going to be an English teacher, I found this particular site interesting because it showed how you could teach Green Eggs and Ham using a spreadsheet. The lesson detailed how the instructor should read the book, then set up an activity using a spreadsheet wherein students could enter the different ingredients used to make green eggs and ham with their item costs. They also had price listings for the items from different grocery stores in the area. This allowed the students to learn how to budget for their planned meal, use a spreadsheet, and also learn about the book they read.
I also visited a site under section five which featured a PowerPoint tutorial. I don't often use the program, so it was an excellent review tool for me. I will likely visit it again. I also visited a tutorial on Hyperstack Studio, because I've never used the program and I wanted to see what it was. I wrapped up my exploration by visiting a page under section eight detailing the creation of web pages. I had never considered creating my own page; maybe I will as a resource for my future students. I also would like to learn how to use a digital camera. I visited a listed site under section nine but it was only a comparison of different digital cameras that could be bought.
Overall, I learned a lot from my online explorations. I will visit some of those sites again as a resource.
One bit of information that I found helpful was TinyURL. That website is excellent when you want to provide a link in an e-mail but the web address is too long. I tried using it for a website today, but it linked to the wrong site. My guess is that since the address I entered was so long, I must have left something out or typed a wrong letter somewhere. I will try TinyURL again even though my first attempt wasn't a success.
After reading the Turner article, I picked out some sites that I found helpful. Under section four I went to a site on incorporating spreadsheets into lesson plans. Since I am going to be an English teacher, I found this particular site interesting because it showed how you could teach Green Eggs and Ham using a spreadsheet. The lesson detailed how the instructor should read the book, then set up an activity using a spreadsheet wherein students could enter the different ingredients used to make green eggs and ham with their item costs. They also had price listings for the items from different grocery stores in the area. This allowed the students to learn how to budget for their planned meal, use a spreadsheet, and also learn about the book they read.
I also visited a site under section five which featured a PowerPoint tutorial. I don't often use the program, so it was an excellent review tool for me. I will likely visit it again. I also visited a tutorial on Hyperstack Studio, because I've never used the program and I wanted to see what it was. I wrapped up my exploration by visiting a page under section eight detailing the creation of web pages. I had never considered creating my own page; maybe I will as a resource for my future students. I also would like to learn how to use a digital camera. I visited a listed site under section nine but it was only a comparison of different digital cameras that could be bought.
Overall, I learned a lot from my online explorations. I will visit some of those sites again as a resource.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)