Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Blog

10/4/2012

Focus Question: How do teachers organize electronic resources to address curriculum frameworks and learning standards? Teachers are extremely busy with many different responsibilities so one important tool is to manage information electronically and to stay organized.  Teachers can find all CPALMS and Nets on line via the web.  The web has vast amounts of information teachers can utilize “Information management – the process of finding, organizing and using information “as stated in our text “Transforming Learning with New Technologies” is a useful tool.  The web has a plethora of information that is at times is more current than textbooks.  School systems budgets are so strained that teachers can use the web to enhance their lesson plans.  Digital bookmarking or adding “favorites” in websites such as “Delicious” is an excellent resource to save important information and links. 

Tech Tool: 6.2 Delicious website.  Delicious is an exciting tool that teachers can use to bookmark or save their “favorites” on the web.  This website is free to join; when adding new links you can use tags to describe the website such as: government, politics, and journalism.  Delicious allows you to edit your profile with pictures; share information even can tweet for this website.  This website is an example of one tool teachers can use or organize sites by subject, grade level, learning standards and many more.

Chapter Summary: Chapter 6 begins with information management. It describes how teachers can manage information at their fingertips. The web can be overwhelming so when searching the web using tools such as “Delicious” is an excellent resource. As a teacher it’s important to stay organized and keep your “favorites” in one site.   Personally, I was never aware such tools existed.   I have digitally bookmarked every link that I have found interesting and useful in my Delicious account, utilizing the tags features Web Quest and Visual field trips are engaging tools that students will love.  These interactive websites encourage students to access pictures, audio and video and are engaging activities that students will like.  There are many different educational websites such as; lesson plan websites, skills/practice website even exploration and discovery websites to name a few. Teachers have so much paper clutter so using technology to alleviate electronic clutter will give them the ability to find resources at their fingertips.

Chapter 5 Post

 

Chapter 5 Journal Post

 

10/3/12

Focus Question: How can teachers or students thoughtfully evaluate online information resources including the online encyclopedia Wikipedia? Many websites are focused on “search engines” to do their searches. There are many different search engines to choose from for example, URL’s ending in ‘.com’ are commercial business, ‘.org’ is organizations, ‘.gov’ is for government, and ‘.net’ is for network organizations. We need to use information ethically by accessing, searching, and finally evaluating.  The 5 tools to consider for evaluating a website are:

1.      Authority – who is the expert and how do you know?

2.      Accuracy – if there is only 1 website is it credible?

3.      Objectivity – is there bias, slanted one way or the other?

4.      Currency – Publication date, how current is the information?

5.      Coverage – is it relevant?  Does it cover what information you’re looking for?

 

Wikipedia is a search engine that gives teachers the ability to teach students strategies for surfing on the web to gather accurate information.

 

Tech Tool 5.2: Customizing your web browser with iGoogle, this task I have learned through trial and error. I have had a few different web browsers but iGoogle is a tool I recently started using in my home office after reading this chapter. It has links for Discovery news, weather, science, and most recent new events on the main page for convenience and awareness. Imagine using this in the classroom, keep it relevant and interesting. This is my new tech tool favorite after my iPad of course!

 

Summary:  Chapter 5 consists of how to gather information via the web through different search engines as well as evaluating whether the information given is current.  This is particularly important nowadays as many younger students do plagiarize via the web. As a teacher this is something I will keep a careful eye on particularly in writing and will use such websites as TurnItIn.com to help curb this ever-growing problem. This chapter discussed ways a teacher can handle plagiarism and whether it was intentional or not.

Chapter 4 Post

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Chapter 4 Journal Post

10/3/12

The focus question I chose is: What are “digital inequality” and the “participation gap”?  Digital inequality pertains to students from low income families and developing nations who do not have access to computers or the internet.  Many of these students are Hispanics and African American.  The student’s only access to a computer is during school hours or at the library whereas in affluent countries, such as the US, many students have their own lap tops, iPads, smart phone, etc., they all the access and privileges to this technology at their fingertips. The participation gap is having no access to computers or internet puts these low income students at a great disadvantage.  Professor Henry Jenkins sees great differences “between what students with 24/7 access can do and what students can do when their own access is through the public library or school computer,” as stated in “Transforming Learning with New Technologies” textbook.  In my opinion, this is very true and relevant. Learning using technology is fun and exciting; however, a teacher needs to teach technology keeping in mind that not every student has a computer or internet in their home. This needs to be kept in mind when preparing lessons using technology.

 

Tech Tool 4.1 Edutopia:  This website is very interesting. I enjoyed surfing around on it!  http://www.edutopia.org/  It’s broken down by grade level, community, core strategies, blogs, video, and even has sections for Arts and Drama along with Special Education. I saved this as a favorite in my Delicious account.  Personally, I am enjoying this class; the content and tools that I am learning will help me on my way to being a better teacher.

 

  

Chapter Summary: I enjoyed reading this chapter; its real life.  It began with a discussion on teachers and their use or non-use of technology.  Many teachers, I believe, are fearful of technology and not open to learning new technology.  Personally, I intend to embrace technology to reach my students.  Using technology to make learning exciting, relevant and, most of all challenging students beyond their comfort zone but still keeping in mind that not all students have 24/7 access to computers or internet.  These students are already at a disadvantage so we have to keep this in mind when planning any lessons using technology.  Teachers can use technology to tackle tough subjects like history or literature, subjects that students may not be completely invested in. Using http://www.edutopia.org/ for example to teach Government, a topic that will typically put many students to sleep. Using this technology to teach would be more of a game than a rigid lesson plan that would benefit both the student and the teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3

September 5, 2012

Focus question: What is meant by "lesson development using technology"?  My definition of lesson development using technologies utilize 3 key components used in all lesson plans; what to teach, how to teach, and know what students learned.  For example, students could use textbook, Internet, wiki pages for research of different topics.  Following curriculum guidelines the students could create a "written report" or a blog or even a power point depending on their skill level.  This will help the teacher assess their skill level in communicating and navigating with technology.

Tech Tool 3.1: Online resources for lesson planning:  After reviewing all 3 websites I selected PBS teachers, there content is excellent, by grade level with many interesting lessons plan that already had my creative juices flowing.  At first, I am already familiar with Gliffy (Xerox uses them for bar charts etc) and we always stick with what we know.  This site is the only website that requires payment the others are all free.  Verizon Thinkfinity has good content such a National Geographic that was interesting.  PBS teacher even offers online professional development for ceu credits.  As a teacher your always looking for new and exciting content to stimulate your students; this website is just the technology tool to use.

 

 

 

Chapter summary: This chapter content was interesting and important in teacher planning. Having working in CCPS many teachers hated lesson plans and many were "copied".  I am looking forward to making interesting lesson plans utilizing technology to make the students engaged.   The text describes The online lesson planning information was informative particularly http://ncisla.wceruw.org that I have saved in my delicious account.  In the US we are behind in Math and Science so its a national center for improving learning in these 2 subjects.  This chapter also describes how teachers can evaluate their students progress before during and after so throughout the entire learning process.  This is key for retention.  

 

 

Chapter 2

September 5, 2012

Focus Question: How does technology create student engagement and collaboration?  Students relate to technology much faster than the standard class lecture.  This chapter specifically describes how learning theories have changed and evolved over the years and continue to change.  Utilizing today's technologies inspire creativity and collaboration on all different levels.  Whether its a "learning group" in which students work together on a project through researching the web, finding different on line tools to write, publish and create their work.  This type of collaboration can be done in any class setting where students are engaged and learning from each other.  Any student I have met when they see my Ipad almost always suggest a favorite app etc.  They love to share this knowledge and are captivated by it.  This is one of the best uses in teaching and making it real life.

Tech Tool 2.2: Web resources for accessing and assessing infomation: In the big wide web many people believe everything they read feel if its posted on the web its truth. Over the years, especialy in today's political enviroment I am constantly searching for credit facts. Fact Check www.factcheck.org

I admire this website's mission statement, they even post their donors on the website making this very credible content with no hidden agenda.:

"We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding."

Summary

This chapter begins with how learning in the classroom using technologies has evolved.  It defines three theories of learning: 1, Behaviorism, 2, Cognitive science and 3, Constructivisim.  The text defines new ways in how teachers communicate with students, different types of students learning using technology.  Using such programs as digital pictures, video, graphic design.  These programs are just a few that lets the power of the students imagination create new and interesting portfolios.  Students are engaged, working together to complete projects and provide feedback for collabrative learning. There are a few approaches to learning; teacher-centered learning which is the classic style of lecturing that is concrete and "black and white". Student-centered learning is more engaging, where the students take part in group activities, engaged discussions, etc.

Chapter 1

August 30,2012


My first official blog so here goes........  Blogs are new for me.  I am a very strong communicator in person, one of my strongest skills. However, when it comes to writing I am working on perfecting this skill.

Chapter Summary
I reviewed the textbook when I first received it in the mail about about 2 weeks ago.  Started reading it last week;the text is up to date, interesting and real life (so happy about this).  Its true life because  many people. educators from all walks of life are scared of technology because they do not understand it.  It begins with the advantages and disadvantages of technology.  Advantages are software, learning games that will inspire and educate children at a young age to have a love for learning. Disadvantages that I have witnessed firsthand is that children are less social in a classroom setting and speaking to each other.  Having 2 children over 20, at times I ask them to "unplug" to be with the family.  Now, they are starting to recognize it and even playing more outside with games, the dog etc.   They grew up in Florida playing outside when they were young.  This behavior began in middle school and became more prevalent in high school.

The tech tool I selected was tech tool 1.2 online resources for learning about technology:
 I explored this tool mainly because I don't understand all of the facets.  Communication via email, text messaging and instant messaging is great.  These are skills I have mastered.  Wikipedia, wiki are so large I do tend to get lost.  I am sure there is a quicker and easier way to navigate in these programs. The 7 things you should know about technology tools were effective and to the point.

Focus question:  How to new technologies create opportunity for teaching and learning? 
Let's look at the I PAD, never having been an Apple user I won an I PAD last year in a sales contest. Kids are embracing this technology very fast.  Look at the e books on line, words with friends these tools are teaching vocabulary, reading comprehension kills and kids feel they are playing a game.  Many schools have I PAD s now to use for research, fact finding and learning.  Having my I PAD for a year already I am still learning, quite frequently referring back to the user manual.  Maybe I am old school as my children are so much quicker with this technology.

Molly's first blog post

Thursday evening; Boy, have I come a long way. Learning new tools with technology is engaging and interesting.  I have a love for learing and am looking to gaining lot's of knowledge in this class.