Do you plan on using your classroom blog/wiki in your future classroom? If so, what types of modifications do you envision? Please explain.
Making the wiki was exciting and I was able to incorporate many different aspects of what I envision might work out for my students if this wiki were to be used. Depending on where I get a job, if the students all have full access to a computer at home or close to home then using a wiki is definitely something that I would want to do. I would modify it according to the types of classes that I am teaching, honors, academic, or AP. I would also want to incorporate maybe a page for each of my students so they have their own page to use and add assignments to. This would be helpful because it would keep them well organized.
Do you plan on having your students create their own blogs/wikis in your future classroom? If so, please explain.
I would have my students create their own wiki or blog if we did a certain activity or project that could be expanded and added to over the course of the year. Students that are really interested in certain topics, such as genetics or rainforest deforestation might be interested in creating their own wiki or blog so that they can have another means of connecting and collaborating with people around the world on the same topic. This way they would not just be posting to the classroom wiki but sharing their ideas with the world outside of the school and community. If they created their own blog or wiki they could keep up with working on it in years to come.
Discussion of how your view of instructional technology has or has not changed over the semester
By taking this course I understand how important it is to incorporate technology into the classroom instruction. It gives the students a different style of learning and knowledge instead of just the textbook and direct instruction. Instructional technology can give students the opportunity to work with something that they already use and is a big part of their own culture. My view has definitely changed in the sense that I value the use of technology much more, and really feel like it can give students such a great opportunity to learn and flourish.
Discuss the quality and appropriateness of what you have learned and created this semester.
Learning about wiki's and blogs were very important because the use of either a wiki or blog can really transform a classroom's learning environment. Therefore using them in the curriculum is very appropriate for any subject. Podcasts, screencasts, and videos were interesting to learn about because they allow a students mastery to be displayed in other forms besides test taking. By showing mastery in these other ways, the student's work ethic and productivity may actually be displayed at a higher level then just test taking and handout uses.
Evaluation of your comfort moving forward with technology
Working with technology this semester proved to me that I am able to successful use different programs and the use of the programs are helpful in my own learning. Technology always made me hesitant to use it because I was unaware of my own capabilities, but I am no longer as "afraid" to test different technologies out and see how they can be useful to me.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Video Editing Project
What would you do differently if you could do it all over again? Are these changes based on feedback that you may have received from friends, peers, family members, etc?
If I were to do it differently I would incorporate more interviews with other people. This way I could take short excerpts from many different views/perspectives on the topic.The way we made our video was based around the idea of a "promotional add" or video for a school system. If I had a chance to do it over I would try another type of video premise such as a news broadcast or television show. These ideas are based off of my own feedback.
What is your reaction to the video recording/editing process? Please discuss any positive and negative reactions.
I really enjoyed the recording and editing of this video project. It was a great opportunity to work with my peers. The editing process was easier then I thought it would be. I found that being creative with the video was exciting because imovie makes the program easy to use.
Do you think it would be possible to have students in your current/future classroom create a movie? Do you (will you) have the resources, time, and skills necessary to include such a project in your classroom? Please explain.
Depending on the location of the school system, making a video could pose to be easy or hard. If the students live in a city then making a video for a class project would not be as easy if they need to be outside during class hours vs if the school is located in the country where there is not as much going on outside in comparison. The technology of the school would also determine if making a video is possible. Most students may not have a computer is a program already installed to work with the editing process, or the school system I teach at may have their own video/editing room. Therefore the resources to be able to do a video with my class would entirely depend on what the school system provides for the students in terms of technology use.
Did you learn anything new from the video editing/recording process? Please explain.
I learned how to successful edit a film and create it into a movie. Adding music, changing the slide layout, adding a voiceover, transitions between clips, and much more are all new concepts that I learned in this process. I also learned what works and does not work while filming and how to display the information that you are covering in the most effective manner for a video.
If I were to do it differently I would incorporate more interviews with other people. This way I could take short excerpts from many different views/perspectives on the topic.The way we made our video was based around the idea of a "promotional add" or video for a school system. If I had a chance to do it over I would try another type of video premise such as a news broadcast or television show. These ideas are based off of my own feedback.
What is your reaction to the video recording/editing process? Please discuss any positive and negative reactions.
I really enjoyed the recording and editing of this video project. It was a great opportunity to work with my peers. The editing process was easier then I thought it would be. I found that being creative with the video was exciting because imovie makes the program easy to use.
Do you think it would be possible to have students in your current/future classroom create a movie? Do you (will you) have the resources, time, and skills necessary to include such a project in your classroom? Please explain.
Depending on the location of the school system, making a video could pose to be easy or hard. If the students live in a city then making a video for a class project would not be as easy if they need to be outside during class hours vs if the school is located in the country where there is not as much going on outside in comparison. The technology of the school would also determine if making a video is possible. Most students may not have a computer is a program already installed to work with the editing process, or the school system I teach at may have their own video/editing room. Therefore the resources to be able to do a video with my class would entirely depend on what the school system provides for the students in terms of technology use.
Did you learn anything new from the video editing/recording process? Please explain.
I learned how to successful edit a film and create it into a movie. Adding music, changing the slide layout, adding a voiceover, transitions between clips, and much more are all new concepts that I learned in this process. I also learned what works and does not work while filming and how to display the information that you are covering in the most effective manner for a video.
Friday, July 2, 2010
EDCI 5825 Reading Week 6
Blog/Reading Questions:
What is your reaction to the 10 Big Shifts in Education? Which shift(s) will be easier and harder for your to integrate in your future teaching/classroom? Please explain.
Each of the 10 Big Shift are major components in enhancing public education in our world for today's youth. Each big shift contributes to making student learning more dynamic and changes strict, direct instruction into a world of exploration and possibilities. Richardson used the text to refer to teachers as having to see themselves as "connectors" not only of content (Richardson, 154, 2010). These shifts in education are allowing teachers to be learners with students, and for students to be in more control over their own learning. The first trend, open content, as well as the 3 trend, allows having more of the content be collaborative which will be easier for me to integrate into my future classroom. Science curriculum can really be enhanced by all the research opportunities on the web. Having open content beyond a textbook definitely enhances the students learning opportunities. It will be easy to have the students collaborate group work through google docs, or collaborate with students from around the world (Richardson, 148, 2010). I really like this trend because I believe collaboration is a great skill to have as a young adult going into a working world where collaboration is a key aspect of succeeding with your work and with others. This skill can be used in any subject and will always be useful in the future. One shift that may be hard to incorporate into my future classroom is big shift 6: Readers are not longer just readers. This shift will be more difficult because many students have been using the Internet for years before high school. With the society we live in, kids are taught that what they hear from adults is normally truth. Having our students refocus that mindset to be skeptical might be more harder then I perceive. If students are doing research on experiments, and a experiment is shown to be "correct" they might not dive deeper to understand if it makes since, since it's been published. Therefore incorporating Internet Workshops like MAPping would be very useful in this sense.
What is your reaction to the 10 Big Shifts in Education? Which shift(s) will be easier and harder for your to integrate in your future teaching/classroom? Please explain.
Each of the 10 Big Shift are major components in enhancing public education in our world for today's youth. Each big shift contributes to making student learning more dynamic and changes strict, direct instruction into a world of exploration and possibilities. Richardson used the text to refer to teachers as having to see themselves as "connectors" not only of content (Richardson, 154, 2010). These shifts in education are allowing teachers to be learners with students, and for students to be in more control over their own learning. The first trend, open content, as well as the 3 trend, allows having more of the content be collaborative which will be easier for me to integrate into my future classroom. Science curriculum can really be enhanced by all the research opportunities on the web. Having open content beyond a textbook definitely enhances the students learning opportunities. It will be easy to have the students collaborate group work through google docs, or collaborate with students from around the world (Richardson, 148, 2010). I really like this trend because I believe collaboration is a great skill to have as a young adult going into a working world where collaboration is a key aspect of succeeding with your work and with others. This skill can be used in any subject and will always be useful in the future. One shift that may be hard to incorporate into my future classroom is big shift 6: Readers are not longer just readers. This shift will be more difficult because many students have been using the Internet for years before high school. With the society we live in, kids are taught that what they hear from adults is normally truth. Having our students refocus that mindset to be skeptical might be more harder then I perceive. If students are doing research on experiments, and a experiment is shown to be "correct" they might not dive deeper to understand if it makes since, since it's been published. Therefore incorporating Internet Workshops like MAPping would be very useful in this sense.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
EDCI 5825 Readings
Should all teachers be encouraged to create online activities for students within traditional classrooms? Please explain.
Creating online activities for students in any classroom, including traditional classrooms provides a numerous amounts of learning benefits for the children. As November had mentioned, just because an activity is online does not mean that the students need to only utilize the Internet or computer as a means of learning (November, 78, 2001). Teachers can use the Internet as an opportunity to have students explore research and data outside the classroom, which will be incorporated into the online activity, producing more meaning and relevance to the students doing the actual work. This can easily be done in more traditional classrooms. Teachers can be encouraged to see the importance of students connecting with peers and parents through online activities, enhancing skills they would be using inside a traditional classroom, like collaborative work. A teacher in a traditional classroom should integrate the online activity in a thought-provoking and well organized manner so that the students know the purpose of using an online activity and are able to work with the activity online in an efficient manner just as they would in the classroom.
Envision the role of social networking in 21st century learning environments. Write a brief description of this vision
With the enormous amount of people online and in networking sites, connecting and interacting with new or old friends will have harnessed a multitude of relationships that help build new and creative ways of learning, sharing, and acquiring knowledge. In sites such as twitter, educators all around the world are following other educators and get on the moment ideas, questions or answers, that are helping to foster creativity throughout the educational system and solve problems quicker through "expert" educators (Richardson, 86, 2010). Social networking, like social bookmarking, "redefines" the way others may view certain topics or helps others, through bookmarking different sites, people are molding the new information into their existing knowledge, creating a new learning environment for themselves. Social networking is allowing kids to become "self-directed" and learn through and with peers about numerous topics and interests (Richardson, 132, 2010). Students are keeping connections with other peers around the world, and are growing rapid interpersonal relationships with peers of all different backgrounds, with all different perspectives, and forms of knowledge.
Creating online activities for students in any classroom, including traditional classrooms provides a numerous amounts of learning benefits for the children. As November had mentioned, just because an activity is online does not mean that the students need to only utilize the Internet or computer as a means of learning (November, 78, 2001). Teachers can use the Internet as an opportunity to have students explore research and data outside the classroom, which will be incorporated into the online activity, producing more meaning and relevance to the students doing the actual work. This can easily be done in more traditional classrooms. Teachers can be encouraged to see the importance of students connecting with peers and parents through online activities, enhancing skills they would be using inside a traditional classroom, like collaborative work. A teacher in a traditional classroom should integrate the online activity in a thought-provoking and well organized manner so that the students know the purpose of using an online activity and are able to work with the activity online in an efficient manner just as they would in the classroom.
Envision the role of social networking in 21st century learning environments. Write a brief description of this vision
With the enormous amount of people online and in networking sites, connecting and interacting with new or old friends will have harnessed a multitude of relationships that help build new and creative ways of learning, sharing, and acquiring knowledge. In sites such as twitter, educators all around the world are following other educators and get on the moment ideas, questions or answers, that are helping to foster creativity throughout the educational system and solve problems quicker through "expert" educators (Richardson, 86, 2010). Social networking, like social bookmarking, "redefines" the way others may view certain topics or helps others, through bookmarking different sites, people are molding the new information into their existing knowledge, creating a new learning environment for themselves. Social networking is allowing kids to become "self-directed" and learn through and with peers about numerous topics and interests (Richardson, 132, 2010). Students are keeping connections with other peers around the world, and are growing rapid interpersonal relationships with peers of all different backgrounds, with all different perspectives, and forms of knowledge.
EDCI 5825 PowerPoint Presentation
• Brief description of the lesson/topic presented on the PowerPoint
-The lesson that was presented in my PowerPoint is on the immune system. The lesson focused on active and passive immunity and different lines of defense. I used a constructivist approach to the lesson, and included a video that went along with the material.
• Brief description of the features used in your PowerPoint. Did you use any "challenge" features? Why/Why not.
-I used WordArt/SmartArt a lot because it makes the titles to the PowerPoint slides stand out and catch the audience’s attention. I found that the animations gave many different options for pictures and text and made sure I included many different kinds in my PowerPoint. I wasn't sure exactly how to use the narration for my PowerPoint because most of what needed to be discussed could be done so in the classroom by the students.
• Did you learn anything new in the process?
-Whenever I use PowerPoint I feel as though I learn something new. PowerPoint offers many different options in creating a unique presentation. I learned that you can download backgrounds from online if you desire that are represent your lesson better, although I did not do this for my presentation, I still thought it was neat. I also realized that PowerPoint allows you to change the color of the SmartArt graphics.
How can a lesson be enhanced with Presentation Software (e.g. PowerPoint, Google Docs Presentation software, etc.)
-When a teacher uses Presentation Software she/he is making their lecture accommodate different learning styles of students. Students are able to visualize what the teacher is saying, look at pictures relating to the topics, graphs, charts, videos and much more. It makes what could have been a boring lecture, turn into a more lively and fun presentation that may make a more lasting impression with students. Teachers can do so much more with Presentation Software for their lessons then just speaking with students. They can get students involved with the presentation more.
-The lesson that was presented in my PowerPoint is on the immune system. The lesson focused on active and passive immunity and different lines of defense. I used a constructivist approach to the lesson, and included a video that went along with the material.
• Brief description of the features used in your PowerPoint. Did you use any "challenge" features? Why/Why not.
-I used WordArt/SmartArt a lot because it makes the titles to the PowerPoint slides stand out and catch the audience’s attention. I found that the animations gave many different options for pictures and text and made sure I included many different kinds in my PowerPoint. I wasn't sure exactly how to use the narration for my PowerPoint because most of what needed to be discussed could be done so in the classroom by the students.
• Did you learn anything new in the process?
-Whenever I use PowerPoint I feel as though I learn something new. PowerPoint offers many different options in creating a unique presentation. I learned that you can download backgrounds from online if you desire that are represent your lesson better, although I did not do this for my presentation, I still thought it was neat. I also realized that PowerPoint allows you to change the color of the SmartArt graphics.
How can a lesson be enhanced with Presentation Software (e.g. PowerPoint, Google Docs Presentation software, etc.)
-When a teacher uses Presentation Software she/he is making their lecture accommodate different learning styles of students. Students are able to visualize what the teacher is saying, look at pictures relating to the topics, graphs, charts, videos and much more. It makes what could have been a boring lecture, turn into a more lively and fun presentation that may make a more lasting impression with students. Teachers can do so much more with Presentation Software for their lessons then just speaking with students. They can get students involved with the presentation more.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
T2P Week 5
If a teacher develops a relationship with his students that is structured around trust and caring, that relationship will allow a pathway to the curriculum that promotes autonomy, motivation, and individual growth, then if a problem arises in the schooling environment with the students, the teacher will be more aware of the variables at play in the issues and have a more constructive approach in how to solve that problem according to the relationship and data that he/she has already been collecting on their students throughout the year.
I added into my T2P hypothesis the importance of using a scaffolding technique in solving problems in the classroom. With so many variables contributing to the "schooling" environment on a day to day basis, a teacher could easily get caught up in the "mess" that is consuming the curriculum and students to get off track and wound up in a multitude of different problems. In consideration of these variables, if a teacher is more aware of them then that teacher will be more constructive in recognizing the issues and the different ways to solve those issues. A way that a teacher can become more effective in this approach is to develop that relational-care approach with their students. If students have a foundational relationship with their teachers they will be more apt to respect what the teacher is telling them and be honest in reflecting what they truly want out of the class or lessons. I also believe that demonstrating this relational-care as a teacher to your students, and showing them that their voices matter and are respected, they will be more likely to model this behavior in their own relationships.
I added into my T2P hypothesis the importance of using a scaffolding technique in solving problems in the classroom. With so many variables contributing to the "schooling" environment on a day to day basis, a teacher could easily get caught up in the "mess" that is consuming the curriculum and students to get off track and wound up in a multitude of different problems. In consideration of these variables, if a teacher is more aware of them then that teacher will be more constructive in recognizing the issues and the different ways to solve those issues. A way that a teacher can become more effective in this approach is to develop that relational-care approach with their students. If students have a foundational relationship with their teachers they will be more apt to respect what the teacher is telling them and be honest in reflecting what they truly want out of the class or lessons. I also believe that demonstrating this relational-care as a teacher to your students, and showing them that their voices matter and are respected, they will be more likely to model this behavior in their own relationships.
Monday, June 28, 2010
T2P 3 Hypothesis
*Social Hiatus in the Middle School*
Youtube Video:
Middle School Gossip
If a student’s social status or relationship with other peers is not healthy then the student will be easily distracted from their schoolwork. For example, in the video “Middle School Gossip,” middle school girls expressed the social issues that were consuming their day-to-day lives. Each student discussed different social predicaments they were in including ex-boyfriends, trying to impress, puberty, fights, friends, and clothing style and mentioned compared to schoolwork, social life is much more important. In the same video, the 7th grade teachers expressed the student’s ideals. One 7th grade teacher in the video said, “Until you work through the social issues, until you work through the like distractions, there is no point in the academics, because they will always be distracted.” According to Maslow, some of these children’s lower staged needs are not being met. The issues facing these students touch upon safety, social belonging and security. Maslow would contend that if you don’t help those students fulfill the lower levels of needs, they would not be able to move up to self-esteem and desire to learn school material. As a teacher, it will be imperative to create an environment for my students to come into to feel like they belong, and a relationship that opens up trust and care. By creating a positive, welcoming environment, students who’s lower level needs are not met, may be able to look at the classroom as a way for satisfying those lower level needs, allowing them to flourish in their creativity to learn and grow academically.
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*Oppression of our Youth Voice*
Youtube video:
Finding Our Turf: Youth Voice
If students feel as though their opinions are not being respected, their culture is not important, and they do not matter to higher forms of authority, then they will feel oppressed and invaluable to society, building a mindset of distrust, helplessness, and anger. These ideas were expressed in the video, “Finding Our Turf: Youth Voice.” Many young people expressed their feelings of frustration with adults because they did not feel as though adults valued their opinions or ideas and that no matter what they said they would not be listened to since adults always discriminated against younger ages. Nel Noddings would say that this mindset of youth could be detrimental to their growth as individuals because adults of power are not talking the time to build relational-care with the teens. This is therefore demonstrating that teenagers are not an important part of a growing and dynamic society, adding to their feelings of being oppressed. As a teacher I can understand how it is important show students that their unique identities do matter on a larger level and that every opinion matters. Showing your students that you respect and value their thoughts help provide them with a foundation of trust and care to grow as an individual. By showing students the significance of their own voices I am showing them how to build positive perspectives of themselves.
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*Teaching for the Youth*
Youtube Video: Whole Brain Teaching
If students participate in student-centered learning through application of “whole brain teaching,” then they will be more likely to comprehend the material and participate. For example, in the video, “Whole Brain Teaching High School Math,” students mirrored their teacher’s explanation of slopes to the peers. Through mirroring the description of positive and negative slopes, the students reinforced what they were learning and showed a quicker understanding when the teacher assessed them. Whole brain teaching, as showed in the video, helps students stay on task and participate. Lev Vygotsky would say that Whole Brain Teaching is a way that the teacher brings a student to a higher level of cognitive development by guiding each student in the process of application and thinking. As a teacher I understand that students each learn in multiple ways such as visual, audio, verbal, and hands-on and direct instruction will not accommodate all the learning styles in the classroom. For students to be able to excel in the classroom they have to be given different tools for thinking and learning. Whole brain teaching takes direct instruction and opens it up to a more student-centered approach, where the students are doing full participation in the understanding and teaching of the lesson.
Youtube Video:
Middle School Gossip
If a student’s social status or relationship with other peers is not healthy then the student will be easily distracted from their schoolwork. For example, in the video “Middle School Gossip,” middle school girls expressed the social issues that were consuming their day-to-day lives. Each student discussed different social predicaments they were in including ex-boyfriends, trying to impress, puberty, fights, friends, and clothing style and mentioned compared to schoolwork, social life is much more important. In the same video, the 7th grade teachers expressed the student’s ideals. One 7th grade teacher in the video said, “Until you work through the social issues, until you work through the like distractions, there is no point in the academics, because they will always be distracted.” According to Maslow, some of these children’s lower staged needs are not being met. The issues facing these students touch upon safety, social belonging and security. Maslow would contend that if you don’t help those students fulfill the lower levels of needs, they would not be able to move up to self-esteem and desire to learn school material. As a teacher, it will be imperative to create an environment for my students to come into to feel like they belong, and a relationship that opens up trust and care. By creating a positive, welcoming environment, students who’s lower level needs are not met, may be able to look at the classroom as a way for satisfying those lower level needs, allowing them to flourish in their creativity to learn and grow academically.
*****************************
*Oppression of our Youth Voice*
Youtube video:
Finding Our Turf: Youth Voice
If students feel as though their opinions are not being respected, their culture is not important, and they do not matter to higher forms of authority, then they will feel oppressed and invaluable to society, building a mindset of distrust, helplessness, and anger. These ideas were expressed in the video, “Finding Our Turf: Youth Voice.” Many young people expressed their feelings of frustration with adults because they did not feel as though adults valued their opinions or ideas and that no matter what they said they would not be listened to since adults always discriminated against younger ages. Nel Noddings would say that this mindset of youth could be detrimental to their growth as individuals because adults of power are not talking the time to build relational-care with the teens. This is therefore demonstrating that teenagers are not an important part of a growing and dynamic society, adding to their feelings of being oppressed. As a teacher I can understand how it is important show students that their unique identities do matter on a larger level and that every opinion matters. Showing your students that you respect and value their thoughts help provide them with a foundation of trust and care to grow as an individual. By showing students the significance of their own voices I am showing them how to build positive perspectives of themselves.
***************************
*Teaching for the Youth*
Youtube Video: Whole Brain Teaching
If students participate in student-centered learning through application of “whole brain teaching,” then they will be more likely to comprehend the material and participate. For example, in the video, “Whole Brain Teaching High School Math,” students mirrored their teacher’s explanation of slopes to the peers. Through mirroring the description of positive and negative slopes, the students reinforced what they were learning and showed a quicker understanding when the teacher assessed them. Whole brain teaching, as showed in the video, helps students stay on task and participate. Lev Vygotsky would say that Whole Brain Teaching is a way that the teacher brings a student to a higher level of cognitive development by guiding each student in the process of application and thinking. As a teacher I understand that students each learn in multiple ways such as visual, audio, verbal, and hands-on and direct instruction will not accommodate all the learning styles in the classroom. For students to be able to excel in the classroom they have to be given different tools for thinking and learning. Whole brain teaching takes direct instruction and opens it up to a more student-centered approach, where the students are doing full participation in the understanding and teaching of the lesson.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Website EDCI 5825
Hi Everyone! Here is my website: Melanie's Website
What is your reaction to the entire web development process? Please describe any positive and negative reactions.
I was surprised with how easy it was for me to make a Website. I thought that there was a lot more to it then there actually was. My reactions were very positive. I created my website using Weebly. Weebly had it set up so that it was easy and quick to use. I learned how to add different things and become creative with my website. I thought that the website offered many different tools to use for the website I was creating. The only negative reactions I had was Weebly didn't allow me to add in a hyperlink or picture at certain points in the process. It seemed as though Weebly wasn't working 100% the entire time, but mostly I had to click out of it and restart up the program.
What was involved in the process of developing your site? What obstacles did you encounter? How did you overcome those obstacles? What successes did you encounter?
Weebly is set up so that finding design layouts, adding pictures or text, and other fun things like video is easy to find and easy to use. I first constructed the different webpages that I wanted to include on my website. After I added text, pictures, and video the only obstacle that I encountered was uploading images or videos did not work all the time. When this happened I had to cancel the site and reload the page. I would say that being able to create my own webpage is a success in itself! ha!
Will you continue to build on/update this site after this course ends? Why/Why not? Please explain.
I made a theme around my webpage, specifically a project that my students would be doing on the Rainforest. I could see myself adding onto the webpage to make it more flexible for my needs as a teacher, although I am not sure what sort of projects I will be using, or if I will make the webpage strictly for assignments and blog posts. I can see myself using it as a tool in my classroom. With practice in making a course wiki, I have been thinking of using the website I created instead as a more fun biology page that is centered around what we are doing in the classroom. It would be cool to use the website as a way to express what the students are doing in a different and creative way.
What errors/issues did you find when you tested your web site for 508 compliance? Based on those errors/issues, what changes would you make to your site?
Compliance Page
My multimedia was not synchronized on my website, which mean that there was a problem with loading the page and having the youtube video appear or work at a right rate. I also saw that my color did have an issue with compliance, which I understood as the text color compared to the background color may not be assessable for someone that is colorblind. Therefore I would need to change the color options for my website to accommodate everyone.
What is your reaction to the entire web development process? Please describe any positive and negative reactions.
I was surprised with how easy it was for me to make a Website. I thought that there was a lot more to it then there actually was. My reactions were very positive. I created my website using Weebly. Weebly had it set up so that it was easy and quick to use. I learned how to add different things and become creative with my website. I thought that the website offered many different tools to use for the website I was creating. The only negative reactions I had was Weebly didn't allow me to add in a hyperlink or picture at certain points in the process. It seemed as though Weebly wasn't working 100% the entire time, but mostly I had to click out of it and restart up the program.
What was involved in the process of developing your site? What obstacles did you encounter? How did you overcome those obstacles? What successes did you encounter?
Weebly is set up so that finding design layouts, adding pictures or text, and other fun things like video is easy to find and easy to use. I first constructed the different webpages that I wanted to include on my website. After I added text, pictures, and video the only obstacle that I encountered was uploading images or videos did not work all the time. When this happened I had to cancel the site and reload the page. I would say that being able to create my own webpage is a success in itself! ha!
Will you continue to build on/update this site after this course ends? Why/Why not? Please explain.
I made a theme around my webpage, specifically a project that my students would be doing on the Rainforest. I could see myself adding onto the webpage to make it more flexible for my needs as a teacher, although I am not sure what sort of projects I will be using, or if I will make the webpage strictly for assignments and blog posts. I can see myself using it as a tool in my classroom. With practice in making a course wiki, I have been thinking of using the website I created instead as a more fun biology page that is centered around what we are doing in the classroom. It would be cool to use the website as a way to express what the students are doing in a different and creative way.
What errors/issues did you find when you tested your web site for 508 compliance? Based on those errors/issues, what changes would you make to your site?
Compliance Page
My multimedia was not synchronized on my website, which mean that there was a problem with loading the page and having the youtube video appear or work at a right rate. I also saw that my color did have an issue with compliance, which I understood as the text color compared to the background color may not be assessable for someone that is colorblind. Therefore I would need to change the color options for my website to accommodate everyone.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Internet Workshop Part II
What feedback on your Internet Workshop did you receive from your two group members online?
-For my Internet Workshop, I chose to focus on MAPing a website. Feedback that I received from my group had concluded that I had good tools in assessing the students. The handout was to be done individually in small groups and then after the students were done MAPing the website they would come together in larger groups and discuss their findings. My group members said that including an evaluation page to the workshop that would be done individually by the students after the discussions was a good way in assessing what the students would take away from the lesson. One thing that I could have included was instead of having each student look at the same website, I would have them each assigned to a couple different websites. This would provide more information to learn from.
Will you use the Internet Workshop, or use a revised version of the Internet Workshop in your future classroom? Please explain.
-An Internet Workshop is a great way to get students to critically think about what they are viewing over the Web. For biology, students will have to do research papers (this is something we talked about for the quote as well) and they will need to understand how to search the Web to find what they need. Doing a workshop allows hands-on experience for the students in learning about Internet safety and knowledge. Therefore I can see me using a form of the Internet Workshop in my class.
Briefly summarize your group's discussion of the statement, "Students will become victims of the expansive dark side of the Internet unless we teach the critical thinking necessary to make meaning out of the overwhelming and potentially manipulative amount of information that is now available and growing every day" (November, 2010, p.27).
-With technology today it is very easy for a student to go onto the Web and find just about anything that is either false or true. Our group discussed a lot about how it is important for students to understand going into the Web of the type of information that they can find and be skewed into believing. Also because students are young adults, they haven't been taught a lot to be skeptical of different thinks, and challenge what they are told because school in itself rewards conformity and listening to the teacher, therefore students could easily "fall victim" to the Internet if teachers don't show them the ways that it can be manipulative.
-For my Internet Workshop, I chose to focus on MAPing a website. Feedback that I received from my group had concluded that I had good tools in assessing the students. The handout was to be done individually in small groups and then after the students were done MAPing the website they would come together in larger groups and discuss their findings. My group members said that including an evaluation page to the workshop that would be done individually by the students after the discussions was a good way in assessing what the students would take away from the lesson. One thing that I could have included was instead of having each student look at the same website, I would have them each assigned to a couple different websites. This would provide more information to learn from.
Will you use the Internet Workshop, or use a revised version of the Internet Workshop in your future classroom? Please explain.
-An Internet Workshop is a great way to get students to critically think about what they are viewing over the Web. For biology, students will have to do research papers (this is something we talked about for the quote as well) and they will need to understand how to search the Web to find what they need. Doing a workshop allows hands-on experience for the students in learning about Internet safety and knowledge. Therefore I can see me using a form of the Internet Workshop in my class.
Briefly summarize your group's discussion of the statement, "Students will become victims of the expansive dark side of the Internet unless we teach the critical thinking necessary to make meaning out of the overwhelming and potentially manipulative amount of information that is now available and growing every day" (November, 2010, p.27).
-With technology today it is very easy for a student to go onto the Web and find just about anything that is either false or true. Our group discussed a lot about how it is important for students to understand going into the Web of the type of information that they can find and be skewed into believing. Also because students are young adults, they haven't been taught a lot to be skeptical of different thinks, and challenge what they are told because school in itself rewards conformity and listening to the teacher, therefore students could easily "fall victim" to the Internet if teachers don't show them the ways that it can be manipulative.
Reflections EDCI 5825 Week 4
• What is the right balance between giving students freedom to explore the Web for research and providing them with structure and guidance?
I believe that the web has so many great opportunities for students to explore different subjects, and acquire information that may be limited without the Web. It seems important for the teachers to help students learn that exploration with multiple sources about the same idea or content, can give them different perspectives which will help enhance their understanding. Like the example in the text of the student looking up material on George W. Bush, and being able to connect a WWII plan crash with him, lead to great exploration and interest in the topic. The teacher can help a student critically think about different questions they might have with the primary source material that will lead them in finding more primary source materials that can help them connect to answers. An example that November gives is “to teach students to let go of the notion that the answers are more important than the questions and the process” (November, 2001, p. 61). By teaching in this way, teachers are helping their students learn research skills that are very helpful. It’s hard to pin point the exact amount of balance that a teacher should have, but I believe it should be enough to engage the student in critical thinking, but not enough that it restricts their exploration and desire to learn more.
• What is the role of the teacher in helping students to make meaning of primary source material?
The teacher can help the students make meaning of the primary source material in multiple ways. As mentioned in November’s text, it is important for a teacher to help students acquire certain skills like database searching, identifying information sources, visual literacy, and perspective, to be able to accurately use the information on the Web in the most beneficial ways for the student (November, 2001). I did agree with November with the idea that students can learn from search mistakes that they make, like using the wrong type of word, because it helps them understand the importance of certain words and empowers them when they successful figure it out (November, 2001, p. 65). Perspective is an important variable in providing some structure to students. The example in the text talks about the students searching the “trail of tears” and coming up with no results (November, 2001, p. 64). I can understand how a teacher might want to guide the students attention to critically thinking of multiple words that can be used, helping them strengthen their skills in understanding language.
• How can teachers use Podcasting and/or multimedia tools to promote collaborative learning?
Using Podcasting and multimedia tools helps promote collaborative learning in different ways. By using Podcasts students will have to learn how to collaborate multiple technologies to produce what they want, and share or publish it with others. Just in designing, making, and publishing a Podcast, students work with microphones, systems designed in creating Podcasts, itunes, voicerecorders, garageband, googlevideo, or other online technologies. Developing the skills to work with different processes, while sharing the students own interests and knowledge, help shape and structure different ways of collaborative learning. I also looked at this question with the idea that collaborative learning happens through the use of publishing your Podcast, listening to other’s Podcasts, and using different technologies like video conferencing the same way (November, 2001). A student learns how to collaboratively work with the environment, and people around them. Through the use of all this technology, students are now able to expand their learning into a vast array of different people’s lives, and work with people from across the globe.
p.s. Just for better understanding, I have both editions of the text so sometimes I pull quotes out of November 2001, or November 2010
I believe that the web has so many great opportunities for students to explore different subjects, and acquire information that may be limited without the Web. It seems important for the teachers to help students learn that exploration with multiple sources about the same idea or content, can give them different perspectives which will help enhance their understanding. Like the example in the text of the student looking up material on George W. Bush, and being able to connect a WWII plan crash with him, lead to great exploration and interest in the topic. The teacher can help a student critically think about different questions they might have with the primary source material that will lead them in finding more primary source materials that can help them connect to answers. An example that November gives is “to teach students to let go of the notion that the answers are more important than the questions and the process” (November, 2001, p. 61). By teaching in this way, teachers are helping their students learn research skills that are very helpful. It’s hard to pin point the exact amount of balance that a teacher should have, but I believe it should be enough to engage the student in critical thinking, but not enough that it restricts their exploration and desire to learn more.
• What is the role of the teacher in helping students to make meaning of primary source material?
The teacher can help the students make meaning of the primary source material in multiple ways. As mentioned in November’s text, it is important for a teacher to help students acquire certain skills like database searching, identifying information sources, visual literacy, and perspective, to be able to accurately use the information on the Web in the most beneficial ways for the student (November, 2001). I did agree with November with the idea that students can learn from search mistakes that they make, like using the wrong type of word, because it helps them understand the importance of certain words and empowers them when they successful figure it out (November, 2001, p. 65). Perspective is an important variable in providing some structure to students. The example in the text talks about the students searching the “trail of tears” and coming up with no results (November, 2001, p. 64). I can understand how a teacher might want to guide the students attention to critically thinking of multiple words that can be used, helping them strengthen their skills in understanding language.
• How can teachers use Podcasting and/or multimedia tools to promote collaborative learning?
Using Podcasting and multimedia tools helps promote collaborative learning in different ways. By using Podcasts students will have to learn how to collaborate multiple technologies to produce what they want, and share or publish it with others. Just in designing, making, and publishing a Podcast, students work with microphones, systems designed in creating Podcasts, itunes, voicerecorders, garageband, googlevideo, or other online technologies. Developing the skills to work with different processes, while sharing the students own interests and knowledge, help shape and structure different ways of collaborative learning. I also looked at this question with the idea that collaborative learning happens through the use of publishing your Podcast, listening to other’s Podcasts, and using different technologies like video conferencing the same way (November, 2001). A student learns how to collaboratively work with the environment, and people around them. Through the use of all this technology, students are now able to expand their learning into a vast array of different people’s lives, and work with people from across the globe.
p.s. Just for better understanding, I have both editions of the text so sometimes I pull quotes out of November 2001, or November 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Learning Theories Week 4 Reflection
Discussing the importance in engaging your students in dialogue that is surrounded by ethical and moral decisions stood out as an important part of my pedagogy. As the teacher in the classroom, if students are not building bridges themselves, he or she should intentional have the students engage in conversations that allow them to form interpersonal relationships and trust relationships. In doing so, students can form better skills in empathy, understanding, and moral commitment. Students need the chance to connect with others, grow together as individuals, and see the relevance of their learning in the classroom. On the topic of relevance, a teacher-student relationship is a vital part of the classroom. According to Nell Noddings, when a teacher forms a relational-caring relationship with their students, they are able to develop a curriculum that does not manipulate the students, but is manipulated by what the students goals and interests are.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Screencast Reflection
Positive and negative reactions to the creation of your groups' instructional screencast materials.
Most of the feedback responses said that we included everything we should have and that there was nothing missing from the powerpoint screencasts! The first screencast was hard to hear. Some of the advanced topics we included many people did not know of, and learned something new. The feedback said that people learned a lot from our screencasts, that we included a good amount, and focused on different parts of a PowerPoint that were harder to learn individually.
Provide a brief summary of the feedback that you received on the Google Form. Was this feedback helpful? Why/Why not? Please explain.
The feedback was positive and constructive. I believe it was helpful to see what the other individuals thought was important for them to know, like teaching how to do the narration and slide transitions. People were very detailed in what they liked about it, as well as what could have improved. For example with the microphone, some people had trouble with the audio, which allows me to realize to make sure everything with the microphone is set up right, and to test it out a couple times.
Were the screencasts that were created by the other groups' useful/helpful for your teaching/learning? Would you use them in your future classroom? Why/Why not?
The screencast on both Microsoft excel and word were extremely helpful. Especially with Excel, I have never been one to enjoy using Excel and was always anxious because there was never any instruction in my classes about how to use it. Watching the screencast provided me with both basic and advanced features that I did not know, and now I am confident in using Excel. I really enjoyed the Microsoft Word screencast, because I can see myself using their advanced features in my own classroom. Showing us how to correct a document was very helpful, and a great tool to be able to know how to use. Being able to know how to correct papers on Microsoft Word will allow myself as a teacher to correct the papers on the computer, and send them back to the students via computer, saving enormous amounts of paper.
What students might benefit from the use of screencasts? Please explain.
I feel as though all students can benefit from the use of screencasts. This is because it allows students to be creative in the process of making a screencast and explore what they are focusing on, like Excel or Powerpoint. The students can learn a lot about the programs they are making a screencast of by just the process of doing one. In terms of a student using screencasts already made for them, it can be a great review tool for exams, papers, and projects. Students can refer back to the screencast, and if they are visual and audio learners, it comes in handy and may be a lot easier to use then just reading directions.
Would you consider using screencasts in your future classroom? Why/Why not? Please exp
I would use screencasts in my future classrooms because they are a great learning tool in both making a screencast and listening/watching one. The students can get a great review from screencasts, and I believe, as it has done for me, boost self confidence in using different programs like powerpoint, excel, and word. It gets the students involved in both group work and individual work, strengthening their participation skills.
Most of the feedback responses said that we included everything we should have and that there was nothing missing from the powerpoint screencasts! The first screencast was hard to hear. Some of the advanced topics we included many people did not know of, and learned something new. The feedback said that people learned a lot from our screencasts, that we included a good amount, and focused on different parts of a PowerPoint that were harder to learn individually.
Provide a brief summary of the feedback that you received on the Google Form. Was this feedback helpful? Why/Why not? Please explain.
The feedback was positive and constructive. I believe it was helpful to see what the other individuals thought was important for them to know, like teaching how to do the narration and slide transitions. People were very detailed in what they liked about it, as well as what could have improved. For example with the microphone, some people had trouble with the audio, which allows me to realize to make sure everything with the microphone is set up right, and to test it out a couple times.
Were the screencasts that were created by the other groups' useful/helpful for your teaching/learning? Would you use them in your future classroom? Why/Why not?
The screencast on both Microsoft excel and word were extremely helpful. Especially with Excel, I have never been one to enjoy using Excel and was always anxious because there was never any instruction in my classes about how to use it. Watching the screencast provided me with both basic and advanced features that I did not know, and now I am confident in using Excel. I really enjoyed the Microsoft Word screencast, because I can see myself using their advanced features in my own classroom. Showing us how to correct a document was very helpful, and a great tool to be able to know how to use. Being able to know how to correct papers on Microsoft Word will allow myself as a teacher to correct the papers on the computer, and send them back to the students via computer, saving enormous amounts of paper.
What students might benefit from the use of screencasts? Please explain.
I feel as though all students can benefit from the use of screencasts. This is because it allows students to be creative in the process of making a screencast and explore what they are focusing on, like Excel or Powerpoint. The students can learn a lot about the programs they are making a screencast of by just the process of doing one. In terms of a student using screencasts already made for them, it can be a great review tool for exams, papers, and projects. Students can refer back to the screencast, and if they are visual and audio learners, it comes in handy and may be a lot easier to use then just reading directions.
Would you consider using screencasts in your future classroom? Why/Why not? Please exp
I would use screencasts in my future classrooms because they are a great learning tool in both making a screencast and listening/watching one. The students can get a great review from screencasts, and I believe, as it has done for me, boost self confidence in using different programs like powerpoint, excel, and word. It gets the students involved in both group work and individual work, strengthening their participation skills.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Week 3 EDCI 5825 Readings
• Now that there is unlimited potential to celebrate the work of students with their communities, what is the best way to mange this opportunity?
-Giving students the opportunity to show their work to the real world provides them with satisfaction and knowledge that they are making a difference (November, 2001, 34). Students can express what they are learning, or are interested in, and expand those topics to their communities. According to November, teachers can manage the appropriate sharing of a students work by first providing their own students with the teachers own use of technology, where they post work to, such as a wiki, and how they connect with others involving the work. The Internet use by the teacher demonstrates to the student what guidelines should be followed when the student publish their work (November, 2001, p. 35).
• How can we create authentic work and relationships for our students to give them a deeper meaning in relation to complex issues such as globalization and cultural sensitivity?
-In the text, November gives a great example of a US student that video chats with a Puerto Rican student. The US student falters with a question, thinking the Puerto Rican student should be more “Mexican” then blue eyes and blonde hair. This experience emerged a new persona for the US student, and challenged his stereotype as well as embarrassed him because he bordered a sensitive issue with someone from another culture. By having this confrontation between both students, everyone learned the importance of cultural awareness, and ways to practice certain skills, and learn from students mistakes (November, 2001, p. 30). This opportunity also creates a learning experience for students to expand their knowledge on other cultures and how much they actually know. If the US student never had the video chat with the Puerto Rican student, would he have had the chance to learned cultural sensitivity?
• What are the emerging collaborative relationships for teachers?
-Students can use a resource like skype to videoconference with a bunch of students in there class and a class from another town, state, or country, and collaboratively work on a project together, or discuss an important topic (November, 2010). Students have the opportunity to form relationships with other students from another country that they would have never gotten the chance to if technology was not this advanced.
-Students and their teacher now have the opportunity to talk to experts in certain fields about a certain topic, broadening and expanding their experiences with that topic. Relationships are formed through the information questions students ask, participation in projects that are for a bigger cause (November, 2001).
-Parents have the opportunity to get involved with the student’s classroom by signing in to a videoconference. The allows the parent child relationship to have more opportunities in understanding what the child’s learning, what’s being required of them, etc. Parents can develop deeper conversations with their children about what went on in school (November, 2001, p. 27).
-Finally, because of the relationships I have mentioned above, teachers have more possibilities when it comes to collaborating with students, parents, and other classrooms. By publishing their students work, and sharing it with the community, teachers form a relationship with other educators in that community, or distant ones (November, 2001).
-Giving students the opportunity to show their work to the real world provides them with satisfaction and knowledge that they are making a difference (November, 2001, 34). Students can express what they are learning, or are interested in, and expand those topics to their communities. According to November, teachers can manage the appropriate sharing of a students work by first providing their own students with the teachers own use of technology, where they post work to, such as a wiki, and how they connect with others involving the work. The Internet use by the teacher demonstrates to the student what guidelines should be followed when the student publish their work (November, 2001, p. 35).
• How can we create authentic work and relationships for our students to give them a deeper meaning in relation to complex issues such as globalization and cultural sensitivity?
-In the text, November gives a great example of a US student that video chats with a Puerto Rican student. The US student falters with a question, thinking the Puerto Rican student should be more “Mexican” then blue eyes and blonde hair. This experience emerged a new persona for the US student, and challenged his stereotype as well as embarrassed him because he bordered a sensitive issue with someone from another culture. By having this confrontation between both students, everyone learned the importance of cultural awareness, and ways to practice certain skills, and learn from students mistakes (November, 2001, p. 30). This opportunity also creates a learning experience for students to expand their knowledge on other cultures and how much they actually know. If the US student never had the video chat with the Puerto Rican student, would he have had the chance to learned cultural sensitivity?
• What are the emerging collaborative relationships for teachers?
-Students can use a resource like skype to videoconference with a bunch of students in there class and a class from another town, state, or country, and collaboratively work on a project together, or discuss an important topic (November, 2010). Students have the opportunity to form relationships with other students from another country that they would have never gotten the chance to if technology was not this advanced.
-Students and their teacher now have the opportunity to talk to experts in certain fields about a certain topic, broadening and expanding their experiences with that topic. Relationships are formed through the information questions students ask, participation in projects that are for a bigger cause (November, 2001).
-Parents have the opportunity to get involved with the student’s classroom by signing in to a videoconference. The allows the parent child relationship to have more opportunities in understanding what the child’s learning, what’s being required of them, etc. Parents can develop deeper conversations with their children about what went on in school (November, 2001, p. 27).
-Finally, because of the relationships I have mentioned above, teachers have more possibilities when it comes to collaborating with students, parents, and other classrooms. By publishing their students work, and sharing it with the community, teachers form a relationship with other educators in that community, or distant ones (November, 2001).
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
T2P EDCI 5065 Week 3
T2P:
If a teacher is not comfortable in addressing demographic, cultural, racial topics, then students may feel insecure about creating a relationship of trust with the instructor or with other students of different backgrounds, because the intention of the teacher is not clear enough to foster a healthy, comfortable environment.
If a teacher is motivated to challenge their belief systems, then they may approach teaching in different ways that can improve a students learning, because by challenging what they may believe can open up doors for what the students take out of the lesson, and what the students feel is important verse the teacher.
Week 3 Reflection:
In this weeks class, the theories learned behind motivation, and motivation development for our students, helped me conceptualize the type of teaching strategies I want to incorporate within my lesson plans. David Pink's video on autonomy, master, and purpose, as well as autonomy, relatedness, and competence that make up the Self Determination Theory, were very informative about the nature of what motivates a human being. These specific elements in determining a person's motivation helps me to see as a learner, the importance in doing something that is relevant, something that provides a sense of gratification, and pleasure to pursue, in education. It makes sense that by experiencing these different components, one results in better productivity with what one is doing, determines the focus and willingness to learn, and creativity in students.
If a teacher is not comfortable in addressing demographic, cultural, racial topics, then students may feel insecure about creating a relationship of trust with the instructor or with other students of different backgrounds, because the intention of the teacher is not clear enough to foster a healthy, comfortable environment.
If a teacher is motivated to challenge their belief systems, then they may approach teaching in different ways that can improve a students learning, because by challenging what they may believe can open up doors for what the students take out of the lesson, and what the students feel is important verse the teacher.
Week 3 Reflection:
In this weeks class, the theories learned behind motivation, and motivation development for our students, helped me conceptualize the type of teaching strategies I want to incorporate within my lesson plans. David Pink's video on autonomy, master, and purpose, as well as autonomy, relatedness, and competence that make up the Self Determination Theory, were very informative about the nature of what motivates a human being. These specific elements in determining a person's motivation helps me to see as a learner, the importance in doing something that is relevant, something that provides a sense of gratification, and pleasure to pursue, in education. It makes sense that by experiencing these different components, one results in better productivity with what one is doing, determines the focus and willingness to learn, and creativity in students.
Vicki Davis and SDT
Vicki Davis believes that every student has the capacity to learn and be empowered to learn. She approaches her classroom with the belief that students need more then just a pen and paper to learn from, brining technology to her students lives to transform them. Vicki Davis constructs an environment for her students that goes along with her pedagogy by creating opportunities for them to explore ways to figure out their own questions (like literacy and looking up words) to accomplishing strategies to teach themselves how to learn certain computer games and technology. Vicki Davis has used what interests students, such as the type of programs they were using on the computers, to foster their educational experience and what they take out of the class.
There are a couple examples of pedagogical practices that Vicki uses to incorporate autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Giving the students the empowerment to create blogs and projects is a way to experience and learn about what is going on in the world around them. By allowing her students the chance to participate with each other as well as classrooms across the world, they are learning how to collaborate effectively. It seems as though her students experienced autonomy, relatedness, and competence because they were working individually on something they wanted to work on, cooperated together by teaching each other new information, and doing it as a group. Opening up technology to her students, she is able to customize what is going on with that specific group, and find ways to pertain to their interests. Students are able to feel a sense of competence by mastering technology skills and seeing what they were able to accomplish without the direct instruction of the teacher, and knowing that they found the way to do it themselves. This motivates the students to pursue learning more about what they are working on, and exploration into the activities. The work that the students were doing looked like they were excited to be participating in the technology, showing enhanced creativity as a result.
A question that I would ask Vicki Davis is how does she approach a students that has no interest in technology, or a hard time being able to grasp the importance of what technology can do for them?
There are a couple examples of pedagogical practices that Vicki uses to incorporate autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Giving the students the empowerment to create blogs and projects is a way to experience and learn about what is going on in the world around them. By allowing her students the chance to participate with each other as well as classrooms across the world, they are learning how to collaborate effectively. It seems as though her students experienced autonomy, relatedness, and competence because they were working individually on something they wanted to work on, cooperated together by teaching each other new information, and doing it as a group. Opening up technology to her students, she is able to customize what is going on with that specific group, and find ways to pertain to their interests. Students are able to feel a sense of competence by mastering technology skills and seeing what they were able to accomplish without the direct instruction of the teacher, and knowing that they found the way to do it themselves. This motivates the students to pursue learning more about what they are working on, and exploration into the activities. The work that the students were doing looked like they were excited to be participating in the technology, showing enhanced creativity as a result.
A question that I would ask Vicki Davis is how does she approach a students that has no interest in technology, or a hard time being able to grasp the importance of what technology can do for them?
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
EDCI 5825 Week 2
Hi Everyone!
1.) This weeks reading, I thought, was extremely insightful about the ways to decode the Internet. I had never previously understood much of the information in regards to the ways in which the Internet works. Therefore, I believe that a part of being information literate means a person has to be able to understand the tools used to decode Internet sites and search engines and how to utilize these tools. By acquiring the skills to understand the process behind making a website, links in and to a website, Web addresses, the credibility of a website or person, and how to filter out inappropriate WebPages, shows that a person has a lot of knowledge on the information inside the Internet and how to use it. Just like the example that the text gave about Zack, if Zack understood just the fundamentals of a web address, he would have been able to question the web site automatically, and therefore would have been more information literate! I know there are so many times when I am doing research for a research paper in school that I tend focus on if it has a “.edu” or not, and never fully realized that the “.edu” can’t be the only thing I look at anymore for credibility! Has anyone else ever had that mentality?
2.) Along with utilizing the tools to decode Internet sites and credibility, a teacher and student should be able to determine the site’s purpose and look into ways to find out if the information given is credible and accurate. Teachers can show students the importance of cross referencing sources, and teaching them what it means to be information literate, as I described earlier. Using the MAPing technique would be a great evaluation tool for something like Wikipedia. The students would get a deeper look at the information by examining the Meta-web information, authors, and purpose. Because Wikipedia can be easily edited by any person that feels they have information that can be put on there, students have to understand that even if the website is monitored, it doesn’t mean everything is truth. Teachers should make sure their students are challenging the credibility of Internet sites, like Wikipedia, to make sure it is an appropriate resource.
3.) Similarities between the four instructional models of Internet use:
1. They help students with conceptual understandings
2. Shows students strategies for using resources on the internet
3. Provides ways of constructivist teaching and learning opportunities
4. Each instructional model will contribute to the fast growing changes in acquiring information and connections to vast parts of the world
Differences:
1. The complexity of each instructional model, and how simple or challenging each one is
2. Internet Workshop directly relates to using information found and comparing it with peers in the same classroom
3. The WebQuest is geared towards teachers developing curriculum resources, where as Internet Project allows students to connect with not just their peers but other classes around the world. (2 & 3 have different collaboration results)
4. WebQuest is for teachers to use and come up with curriculum that can then be shared and connected to others. So the instructional models have different uses.
Hope everyone is having a great day!
1.) This weeks reading, I thought, was extremely insightful about the ways to decode the Internet. I had never previously understood much of the information in regards to the ways in which the Internet works. Therefore, I believe that a part of being information literate means a person has to be able to understand the tools used to decode Internet sites and search engines and how to utilize these tools. By acquiring the skills to understand the process behind making a website, links in and to a website, Web addresses, the credibility of a website or person, and how to filter out inappropriate WebPages, shows that a person has a lot of knowledge on the information inside the Internet and how to use it. Just like the example that the text gave about Zack, if Zack understood just the fundamentals of a web address, he would have been able to question the web site automatically, and therefore would have been more information literate! I know there are so many times when I am doing research for a research paper in school that I tend focus on if it has a “.edu” or not, and never fully realized that the “.edu” can’t be the only thing I look at anymore for credibility! Has anyone else ever had that mentality?
2.) Along with utilizing the tools to decode Internet sites and credibility, a teacher and student should be able to determine the site’s purpose and look into ways to find out if the information given is credible and accurate. Teachers can show students the importance of cross referencing sources, and teaching them what it means to be information literate, as I described earlier. Using the MAPing technique would be a great evaluation tool for something like Wikipedia. The students would get a deeper look at the information by examining the Meta-web information, authors, and purpose. Because Wikipedia can be easily edited by any person that feels they have information that can be put on there, students have to understand that even if the website is monitored, it doesn’t mean everything is truth. Teachers should make sure their students are challenging the credibility of Internet sites, like Wikipedia, to make sure it is an appropriate resource.
3.) Similarities between the four instructional models of Internet use:
1. They help students with conceptual understandings
2. Shows students strategies for using resources on the internet
3. Provides ways of constructivist teaching and learning opportunities
4. Each instructional model will contribute to the fast growing changes in acquiring information and connections to vast parts of the world
Differences:
1. The complexity of each instructional model, and how simple or challenging each one is
2. Internet Workshop directly relates to using information found and comparing it with peers in the same classroom
3. The WebQuest is geared towards teachers developing curriculum resources, where as Internet Project allows students to connect with not just their peers but other classes around the world. (2 & 3 have different collaboration results)
4. WebQuest is for teachers to use and come up with curriculum that can then be shared and connected to others. So the instructional models have different uses.
Hope everyone is having a great day!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
T2P EDCI 5065
T2P from Week 1 to 2:
If teachers do not include group discussions into their teaching methods, then students will not be able to actively discuss their views and listen to their peers views, inhibiting active reflection, because by not participating in group discussions, like Vygotsky's thinking behind what a learner can do independently or through guidance with an adult or peer, they may misunderstand a lesson or concept that could have been solved by talking it out with peers.
(In response to GNA's comment) T2P Re-Write:
If teachers do not incorporate student-centered learning in the classroom, then students will not be able actively participate in discussing their thoughts or listen to their peers, inhibiting active reflection and motivation to learn, because according to Vygotsky’s concept of the Zone of Proximal Development, student learning is enhanced through guidance with other people more so then independently.
An activity from class that could have been extended discussion of the lesson plans with other groups. Since each group had just a quick amount of time to execute a lesson plan, discussing different approaches to them after each group finished might have allowed everyone to reflect on how they approached the assignment, their strengths and weaknesses to it as well.
T2P Reflection on Week 2:
There were many active discussions that took place in class today, ranging from talking to the person next to you, to working in your INTEL groups on lesson plans and dialogue stations. These discussions that took place helped foster knowledge in the sense that I was able to take other people's perspectives and experiences and change the way I thought about a particular topic or subject. Relating this to my hypothesis above, the group discussions allowed for creativity to explore the topic through talking with my peers and listening to them. By discussing the topic of beliefs, behaviors, dispositions, and vision, I as a learner, was able to see what role those play in my learning environment and how important it is to understand this concept. This is because when I become a teacher in a classroom with students, these different aspects of myself will have a huge influence on what I teach, as according to the Yero reading, as well as how I teach in different environments.
The methods that were done today in class, like TPS (think, pair, share), bridging, bonding, early morning meeting, dialogue stations, critical feedback, cold calling, and making people repeat what others said, all played a huge role on what I am taking home today as a learner. By experiencing these different strategies and methods, I have been able to reflect on how they have influenced my learning and how they can also influence the students I will one day teach with the subject of biology. The group discussion idea has also made me think about what I learned when it comes to challenging students. A good teacher will create opportunities for students to challenge the knowledge they have learned, and the knowledge that they can learn, in hopes to open doors to other learning opportunities for them. These challenges, I believe, will engage students on a different level then just "feeding" information to them in hopes that they will take something from it, and construct connections outside of the classroom on their own.
If teachers do not include group discussions into their teaching methods, then students will not be able to actively discuss their views and listen to their peers views, inhibiting active reflection, because by not participating in group discussions, like Vygotsky's thinking behind what a learner can do independently or through guidance with an adult or peer, they may misunderstand a lesson or concept that could have been solved by talking it out with peers.
(In response to GNA's comment) T2P Re-Write:
If teachers do not incorporate student-centered learning in the classroom, then students will not be able actively participate in discussing their thoughts or listen to their peers, inhibiting active reflection and motivation to learn, because according to Vygotsky’s concept of the Zone of Proximal Development, student learning is enhanced through guidance with other people more so then independently.
An activity from class that could have been extended discussion of the lesson plans with other groups. Since each group had just a quick amount of time to execute a lesson plan, discussing different approaches to them after each group finished might have allowed everyone to reflect on how they approached the assignment, their strengths and weaknesses to it as well.
T2P Reflection on Week 2:
There were many active discussions that took place in class today, ranging from talking to the person next to you, to working in your INTEL groups on lesson plans and dialogue stations. These discussions that took place helped foster knowledge in the sense that I was able to take other people's perspectives and experiences and change the way I thought about a particular topic or subject. Relating this to my hypothesis above, the group discussions allowed for creativity to explore the topic through talking with my peers and listening to them. By discussing the topic of beliefs, behaviors, dispositions, and vision, I as a learner, was able to see what role those play in my learning environment and how important it is to understand this concept. This is because when I become a teacher in a classroom with students, these different aspects of myself will have a huge influence on what I teach, as according to the Yero reading, as well as how I teach in different environments.
The methods that were done today in class, like TPS (think, pair, share), bridging, bonding, early morning meeting, dialogue stations, critical feedback, cold calling, and making people repeat what others said, all played a huge role on what I am taking home today as a learner. By experiencing these different strategies and methods, I have been able to reflect on how they have influenced my learning and how they can also influence the students I will one day teach with the subject of biology. The group discussion idea has also made me think about what I learned when it comes to challenging students. A good teacher will create opportunities for students to challenge the knowledge they have learned, and the knowledge that they can learn, in hopes to open doors to other learning opportunities for them. These challenges, I believe, will engage students on a different level then just "feeding" information to them in hopes that they will take something from it, and construct connections outside of the classroom on their own.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Learning Theories Week 2 Assignment
Hi Everyone! Here are the three sites that I have found relating specifically to Biology:
1.) http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0072437316/120060/ravenanimation.html
The McGraw Hill Textbook Company (as well as other biology text book manufacturers like Pearson’s, Campbell) continues to produce science textbooks that are rich in detail, easy to understand and follow, as well as provide the student with excellent online web pages. I like the McGraw hill web pages because they are specifically tailored to the book that the student has and the edition of that book. Just to specify, the texts are geared toward higher academic levels, such as high school and into college. I believe that students learn not from just reading a text (which provides a good source of knowledge, fact, and theory), but being able to visual the concepts in the text and how they work out in life, instead of just textbook drawings and diagrams. On these web pages, the company has made a section for each chapter, and added animations within those sections of concepts that are discussed. For example, a student learns about the sodium-potassium exchange pump in detail from the text, as well as the lecture in class. After discussing it and doing activities on it, that student is still having a hard time being able to picture exactly what it looks like in their head. They then can just go to the website, and click the play button on the animation that has been provided, and watch like as if it were a movie, exactly what happens. The animations provided on this page allow the student to pause, rewind, or fast forward the visual, as well as add the text to it, or include narration. I believe that a “good teacher” should be able to provide the same type of learning environment to the student. A “good teacher” should be able to explain a concept, such as exocytosis, in a simple yet detailing account in which the students are able to piece together the steps and be able to place them together on their own. A good teacher also provides the student with different avenues for acquiring that information. I believe a student will be competent in the subject of biology when they are able to visual their own animations of the key concepts. I also like these web sites because it provides study methods, such as already made flash cards for the kids, matching, and chapter outlines, as well as quizzes. So it provides the students with multiple ways of studying and looking at the material!
2.) http://www.biologynews.net/ as well as http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/biology/
Both these sites have the most recent articles, news, and current events in biology. For the students that learn through articles about daily findings, and news, these are great sites to include because they keep up-to-date information on what is being discovered, or is happening around the world. The articles connect certain topics in biology for example one article is about experimentation, fly research, genetics, and metabolic disease in humans. Each one of these topics are interrelated in one article, helping a student see how certain concepts influence and affect each other. The sites contain articles from discoveries in genetics, to the coral reefs, and endangered animals. They even include some visuals and images on the site for the visual learners. Through these sites a teacher becomes a “good teacher” because they are now taking what’s currently going on in the student’s world, and bringing it in relevance to their life, and what they are learning in the classroom. I believe this is a good teaching tool because it expands the knowledge that is being taught in the classroom to outside of the classroom, and captures the students attention to other areas of science. A student develops competency when they can see a news article and uncover a meaning with that article relating it to not just the concepts in their textbook or notes, but in their own lives.
3.) http://www.Howstuffworks.com
Howstuffworks.com is a top site that is used for many different purposes. By using a website like this, as a teacher I can show video clips of real life situations and experiences that go hand in hand with the content they are learning. Howstuffworks.com has a wide range of videos to be able to pick from that come from the Discovery Channel, a reputable television channel that gives multiple perspectives to concept theories. I believe that people are able to learn a concept at a higher level when they can connect it to real life experiences and understand the relevance of certain ideas, facts, or processes to the outside world, and them individually. I like the videos because they give realistic and actual images of certain parts of biology that is not seen daily or without technology, for example viruses, or red blood cells, and what the journey of a red blood cell through a capillary actually looks like inside the body at regular speed, or slowed down using video technology, instead of a description that is given to a student in a text book. The videos on Howstuffworks.com provide clips like this as well as videos dealing with everyday issues for people with health in relation to biology, and so on. To be a good teacher is to be able to teach a lesson on a subject and give the student the tools necessary to make connections with the lesson to life, as well as to other key ideas that have been learned in the class. I believe by using a site like this, a student will be able to acquire competence by using the site to understand the “big idea” easier by connecting the subjects learned such as the concepts of the immune system, and be able to relate it to real life situations, like allergies or a person’s health. A student is competent when they can take to knowledge that they have learned and apply it to what happens in life every day and situations that happen in life to people.
Thanks!!
1.) http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0072437316/120060/ravenanimation.html
The McGraw Hill Textbook Company (as well as other biology text book manufacturers like Pearson’s, Campbell) continues to produce science textbooks that are rich in detail, easy to understand and follow, as well as provide the student with excellent online web pages. I like the McGraw hill web pages because they are specifically tailored to the book that the student has and the edition of that book. Just to specify, the texts are geared toward higher academic levels, such as high school and into college. I believe that students learn not from just reading a text (which provides a good source of knowledge, fact, and theory), but being able to visual the concepts in the text and how they work out in life, instead of just textbook drawings and diagrams. On these web pages, the company has made a section for each chapter, and added animations within those sections of concepts that are discussed. For example, a student learns about the sodium-potassium exchange pump in detail from the text, as well as the lecture in class. After discussing it and doing activities on it, that student is still having a hard time being able to picture exactly what it looks like in their head. They then can just go to the website, and click the play button on the animation that has been provided, and watch like as if it were a movie, exactly what happens. The animations provided on this page allow the student to pause, rewind, or fast forward the visual, as well as add the text to it, or include narration. I believe that a “good teacher” should be able to provide the same type of learning environment to the student. A “good teacher” should be able to explain a concept, such as exocytosis, in a simple yet detailing account in which the students are able to piece together the steps and be able to place them together on their own. A good teacher also provides the student with different avenues for acquiring that information. I believe a student will be competent in the subject of biology when they are able to visual their own animations of the key concepts. I also like these web sites because it provides study methods, such as already made flash cards for the kids, matching, and chapter outlines, as well as quizzes. So it provides the students with multiple ways of studying and looking at the material!
2.) http://www.biologynews.net/ as well as http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/biology/
Both these sites have the most recent articles, news, and current events in biology. For the students that learn through articles about daily findings, and news, these are great sites to include because they keep up-to-date information on what is being discovered, or is happening around the world. The articles connect certain topics in biology for example one article is about experimentation, fly research, genetics, and metabolic disease in humans. Each one of these topics are interrelated in one article, helping a student see how certain concepts influence and affect each other. The sites contain articles from discoveries in genetics, to the coral reefs, and endangered animals. They even include some visuals and images on the site for the visual learners. Through these sites a teacher becomes a “good teacher” because they are now taking what’s currently going on in the student’s world, and bringing it in relevance to their life, and what they are learning in the classroom. I believe this is a good teaching tool because it expands the knowledge that is being taught in the classroom to outside of the classroom, and captures the students attention to other areas of science. A student develops competency when they can see a news article and uncover a meaning with that article relating it to not just the concepts in their textbook or notes, but in their own lives.
3.) http://www.Howstuffworks.com
Howstuffworks.com is a top site that is used for many different purposes. By using a website like this, as a teacher I can show video clips of real life situations and experiences that go hand in hand with the content they are learning. Howstuffworks.com has a wide range of videos to be able to pick from that come from the Discovery Channel, a reputable television channel that gives multiple perspectives to concept theories. I believe that people are able to learn a concept at a higher level when they can connect it to real life experiences and understand the relevance of certain ideas, facts, or processes to the outside world, and them individually. I like the videos because they give realistic and actual images of certain parts of biology that is not seen daily or without technology, for example viruses, or red blood cells, and what the journey of a red blood cell through a capillary actually looks like inside the body at regular speed, or slowed down using video technology, instead of a description that is given to a student in a text book. The videos on Howstuffworks.com provide clips like this as well as videos dealing with everyday issues for people with health in relation to biology, and so on. To be a good teacher is to be able to teach a lesson on a subject and give the student the tools necessary to make connections with the lesson to life, as well as to other key ideas that have been learned in the class. I believe by using a site like this, a student will be able to acquire competence by using the site to understand the “big idea” easier by connecting the subjects learned such as the concepts of the immune system, and be able to relate it to real life situations, like allergies or a person’s health. A student is competent when they can take to knowledge that they have learned and apply it to what happens in life every day and situations that happen in life to people.
Thanks!!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Week One Assignment
Hi everyone! My name is Melanie and I just recently graduated from UConn with my bachelors in Allied Health Sciences, specifically Health Promotion. I am very excited to learn how to work more with computers and electronic media and strengthen my technology skills since they currently are very basic! I shadowed a couple teachers for Biology and they used the smartboard, which I thought was extremely cool and am excited to get the chance to work with it in this classroom. As far as goals that I have for this course, I want to be confident in using different technologies and know how to be able to use them easily. I have been very fortunate to be able to work in the school system during the last couple years with grades Pre-K up to 5th as a paraprofessional. I have also taught as a gymnastics/tumbling instructor for a couple years. As far as things I do outside of school and studying, I like art, including painting, portrait drawing, photography, and building things.
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