Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Using Technology to Help the Teaching and Learning process in your Classroom
Through this semester I have learned a lot of different strategies to help incorporate technology into the everyday elementary classroom. Some of these strategies include: Blogs, Curriculum Pages, Teaching Over the Internet, Online Scavenger Hunts, Teacher Web Pages, Internet Videos, Virtual Tours, Web Adventures, WebQuests, and Wiki's. Each and everyone of these strategies has its own specific purpose and place in the Elementary classroom. One of the ideas I have found most interesting is the Internet Scavenger Hunts. This is an activity that can allow students to learn new information through the exploration of websites and it also can be a race between the children in a classroom. This activity hits all of the high points when it comes to a lesson that students will find exciting and beneficial. I also have enjoyed learning about using Wiki's. One major reason is I would like to create one to keep and store all of the papers and projects that I do in my college career. I have backups for all of my papers on my hard drive and an external drive, but I feel that it would be a really great idea to have them on the Internet so I can access them from anywhere. All of the information I have learned can help me create a better classroom for my future students through the incorporation of technology.
Podcasting
1. Define or describe podcasting?
- Podcasting is the broadcasting of music, radio stations, and any other forms of audio over the Internet.
2. How you will use podcasting in your classroom?
- Podcasting can be used in the classroom when teachers need to have students listen to any forms of audio. This can include books on tape for younger children or even full lessons that have been recorded by teachers. This can help broaden the types of instruction the students receive and help them to stay interested in the subjects they learn about.
3. What are some positives and negatives of podcasting?
- A negative of podcasting is that it can be hard to fully understand how to do. Many teachers do not have a large amount of technology training and this sort of material may be difficult for them to do in their classroom. Another negative would be that the audio casting can change with time. If a teacher finds an audio program that they like and want to use, there is no guarantee that it will be there the next day during school.
- A positive of podcasting is how it really opens up the creativity for teachers to use when making their lesson plans. Since this is not a teaching strategy widely used, many students may find it interesting to receive this sort of instruction. Podcasting also can be very beneficial for students with sight disabilities. These students can use the audio programs for reading and instruction help.
- Podcasting is the broadcasting of music, radio stations, and any other forms of audio over the Internet.
2. How you will use podcasting in your classroom?
- Podcasting can be used in the classroom when teachers need to have students listen to any forms of audio. This can include books on tape for younger children or even full lessons that have been recorded by teachers. This can help broaden the types of instruction the students receive and help them to stay interested in the subjects they learn about.
3. What are some positives and negatives of podcasting?
- A negative of podcasting is that it can be hard to fully understand how to do. Many teachers do not have a large amount of technology training and this sort of material may be difficult for them to do in their classroom. Another negative would be that the audio casting can change with time. If a teacher finds an audio program that they like and want to use, there is no guarantee that it will be there the next day during school.
- A positive of podcasting is how it really opens up the creativity for teachers to use when making their lesson plans. Since this is not a teaching strategy widely used, many students may find it interesting to receive this sort of instruction. Podcasting also can be very beneficial for students with sight disabilities. These students can use the audio programs for reading and instruction help.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Ethics
1. What does ethics mean?
- Ethics is how a person decides what is morally correct and what is morally wrong. These tend to vary from person to person depending on culture, religion, beliefs, and personality.
2. How does ethics affect your work as a teacher with your students and your colleagues?
- When in the teacher environment, teachers are constantly faced with decisions that tap into their belief regarding ethics. With students, teachers want to exhibit the most positive and mature ethics in order to set a good example for their students and to have a calm and well controlled classroom. When working with colleagues, there are often a variety of personalities with in a school and in turn a variety in ethics. It is not necessarily that some ethics are better than others, but it does boil down to how these ethics are exhibited in the school environment. Many times the basis of how ethics should be exhibited is created by those in charge of a school or district.
3. Positives and negatives of being concerned with ethics?
- When teachers are concerned about their ethics they are most often trying to exhibit them in a better light for their students and colleagues. This can help a school in terms of the staff environment. If all of the staff and teachers in a school are worried about their ethics and how they will effect others, there is much less likely to be petty problems with in. These teachers will also look to provide the best possible outlook for their students.
- If teachers decide not to concern themselves with ethics, they can face a number of problems with in their classroom. They could exhibit inappropriate language or body language in their classroom, they may participate in inappropriate actions outside of the school environment, and they may also have problems with some of their colleagues when addressing ethical subjects.
- Ethics is how a person decides what is morally correct and what is morally wrong. These tend to vary from person to person depending on culture, religion, beliefs, and personality.
2. How does ethics affect your work as a teacher with your students and your colleagues?
- When in the teacher environment, teachers are constantly faced with decisions that tap into their belief regarding ethics. With students, teachers want to exhibit the most positive and mature ethics in order to set a good example for their students and to have a calm and well controlled classroom. When working with colleagues, there are often a variety of personalities with in a school and in turn a variety in ethics. It is not necessarily that some ethics are better than others, but it does boil down to how these ethics are exhibited in the school environment. Many times the basis of how ethics should be exhibited is created by those in charge of a school or district.
3. Positives and negatives of being concerned with ethics?
- When teachers are concerned about their ethics they are most often trying to exhibit them in a better light for their students and colleagues. This can help a school in terms of the staff environment. If all of the staff and teachers in a school are worried about their ethics and how they will effect others, there is much less likely to be petty problems with in. These teachers will also look to provide the best possible outlook for their students.
- If teachers decide not to concern themselves with ethics, they can face a number of problems with in their classroom. They could exhibit inappropriate language or body language in their classroom, they may participate in inappropriate actions outside of the school environment, and they may also have problems with some of their colleagues when addressing ethical subjects.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Virtual Tour
1. What is a virtual tour?
- A virtual tour is a video or picture tour of a facility or area shown through technological means. Often these tours are on the Internet and give viewers a first had look at houses, schools, classrooms, apartments, construction areas, and even sports facilities.
2. How can you use virtual tours in your classroom?
- A teacher could use a virtual tour for parents to see the environment that their children learn in. Teachers could also create a tour for student assignments involving mapping and room outlines. Many times a school will create a virtual tour of their classrooms, cafeteria, and maybe athletic facilities for prospective students and new families to the area. These tours are geared to give the parents a clear idea of where and how their child will be interacting with in the school, along with the schools new means of technology and learning.
3. Positives and negatives of using virtual tours.
- One obvious positive of using virtual tours is that it allows the viewer to physically see and observe and area without actually having to be there. Through virtual tours students can also prepare for field trips by watching a virtual tour prior to physically being there to familiarize themselves with the new setting. For new students a virtual tour of the school they will be attending is largely beneficial due to the ease of comfort that it offers prior to the student embarking on that first day adventure.
- One negative that can arise from virtual tours would be schools relying too much on them. In some cases a school board may choose for their students to not physically travel to museums or educationally informative buildings due to them having virtual tours. This would be much more inexpensive, however it would not actually allow the students to interact with the information they are receiving. Virtual tours may also only cover the positives of a facility. Many times these tours leave out any negatives or sub par areas due to the poor reflection it will leave with the viewers.
- A virtual tour is a video or picture tour of a facility or area shown through technological means. Often these tours are on the Internet and give viewers a first had look at houses, schools, classrooms, apartments, construction areas, and even sports facilities.
2. How can you use virtual tours in your classroom?
- A teacher could use a virtual tour for parents to see the environment that their children learn in. Teachers could also create a tour for student assignments involving mapping and room outlines. Many times a school will create a virtual tour of their classrooms, cafeteria, and maybe athletic facilities for prospective students and new families to the area. These tours are geared to give the parents a clear idea of where and how their child will be interacting with in the school, along with the schools new means of technology and learning.
3. Positives and negatives of using virtual tours.
- One obvious positive of using virtual tours is that it allows the viewer to physically see and observe and area without actually having to be there. Through virtual tours students can also prepare for field trips by watching a virtual tour prior to physically being there to familiarize themselves with the new setting. For new students a virtual tour of the school they will be attending is largely beneficial due to the ease of comfort that it offers prior to the student embarking on that first day adventure.
- One negative that can arise from virtual tours would be schools relying too much on them. In some cases a school board may choose for their students to not physically travel to museums or educationally informative buildings due to them having virtual tours. This would be much more inexpensive, however it would not actually allow the students to interact with the information they are receiving. Virtual tours may also only cover the positives of a facility. Many times these tours leave out any negatives or sub par areas due to the poor reflection it will leave with the viewers.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Teacher Web Page
1. What is a teacher web page?
- A teacher web page is a personal web page designed by a teacher for anyone to view. Many teacher web pages include a brief mission statement describing their commitment to students, information about their classroom or school, personal information, contact information, and homework assignments for students who may have forgotten what they were assigned.
2. How do you use a teacher web page when you teach?
- Teachers can post any sort of information on their web sites regarding their class lessons. For a high school group, this could include all of the notes given in class for those who were unable to be at school to receive. When it comes to younger groups, teachers can post helpful information about the lessons that they are learning and even post the homework assignments to allow the students to be sure that they are doing the correct work. Teachers can also place links to web sites that they have found helpful for learning and even videos that will help the students relate to the information given.
3. What are the pros and cons of using a teacher web page?
- One obvious problem with teachers putting a lot of information on a web page would be that it is not guaranteed that all of their students will have a computer or Internet access in their homes. If students are able to view the given information they may be confused by it if it is not written correctly. If a teacher uses their web page correctly, there can be a large number of positives for not only their students but also for parents. Having information on the web page allows students and parents to have a back up just in case a student doesn't understand at home. It also allows students and parents to become more computer literate in using the Internet. If a teacher posts videos that allow their students to experience learning differently, this would open the gate to many different positive out looks in the future. Teachers could also use the web site in class to help the students become more familiar with it.
- A teacher web page is a personal web page designed by a teacher for anyone to view. Many teacher web pages include a brief mission statement describing their commitment to students, information about their classroom or school, personal information, contact information, and homework assignments for students who may have forgotten what they were assigned.
2. How do you use a teacher web page when you teach?
- Teachers can post any sort of information on their web sites regarding their class lessons. For a high school group, this could include all of the notes given in class for those who were unable to be at school to receive. When it comes to younger groups, teachers can post helpful information about the lessons that they are learning and even post the homework assignments to allow the students to be sure that they are doing the correct work. Teachers can also place links to web sites that they have found helpful for learning and even videos that will help the students relate to the information given.
3. What are the pros and cons of using a teacher web page?
- One obvious problem with teachers putting a lot of information on a web page would be that it is not guaranteed that all of their students will have a computer or Internet access in their homes. If students are able to view the given information they may be confused by it if it is not written correctly. If a teacher uses their web page correctly, there can be a large number of positives for not only their students but also for parents. Having information on the web page allows students and parents to have a back up just in case a student doesn't understand at home. It also allows students and parents to become more computer literate in using the Internet. If a teacher posts videos that allow their students to experience learning differently, this would open the gate to many different positive out looks in the future. Teachers could also use the web site in class to help the students become more familiar with it.
Monday, March 16, 2009
WebQuest Questions
1. What is a WebQeust?
- A WebQuest is a virtual lesson created through the web and posted as a website of its own. It gives students an opportunity to learn about a subject while performing activities and attempting an challenge at the end. This also gives students an opportunity to discover learning through technology and the Internet.
2. Describe how you will use a WebQuest when you are teaching?
- WebQuest is something that I would like to have my students to first explore while on the computers or in a computer lab. I would like them to first go through and begin to understand how it works and how easy it is to use. Following that I may have them separate into small groups and perform the lesson to see how that goes. If that doesn't work I may have the whole class work together on it, but i would really like to have the students work together to accomplish the objectives. I could also use simple WebQuests for student homework. If I had a class website, I could place a link for the small WebQuest on it under a homework section and have the students work on it out of school.
3. Indicate the positives and negatives of using WebQuests?
- One positive is how much it allows students to learn about technology and how it can help create a more exciting learning experience. They also (if created well) can provide students with valuable information about the subject they entail. If students use the WebQuests at home they will not only be learning outside of school, but there is also a chance they are teaching their parents about how they work too.
- A negative would be how students (if younger) have time taken to teach them how to use the technology. If a teacher would like to assign a WebQuests for homework they must make sure all of their students have computers and Internet access. The schools you are at will also have to have a computer lab if you want the students to interact on their own in class with them.
- A WebQuest is a virtual lesson created through the web and posted as a website of its own. It gives students an opportunity to learn about a subject while performing activities and attempting an challenge at the end. This also gives students an opportunity to discover learning through technology and the Internet.
2. Describe how you will use a WebQuest when you are teaching?
- WebQuest is something that I would like to have my students to first explore while on the computers or in a computer lab. I would like them to first go through and begin to understand how it works and how easy it is to use. Following that I may have them separate into small groups and perform the lesson to see how that goes. If that doesn't work I may have the whole class work together on it, but i would really like to have the students work together to accomplish the objectives. I could also use simple WebQuests for student homework. If I had a class website, I could place a link for the small WebQuest on it under a homework section and have the students work on it out of school.
3. Indicate the positives and negatives of using WebQuests?
- One positive is how much it allows students to learn about technology and how it can help create a more exciting learning experience. They also (if created well) can provide students with valuable information about the subject they entail. If students use the WebQuests at home they will not only be learning outside of school, but there is also a chance they are teaching their parents about how they work too.
- A negative would be how students (if younger) have time taken to teach them how to use the technology. If a teacher would like to assign a WebQuests for homework they must make sure all of their students have computers and Internet access. The schools you are at will also have to have a computer lab if you want the students to interact on their own in class with them.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Presentation
Presentation: "Reading Revolution: New Texts and New Technologies"
This presentation really intrigued me in how it discussed using current technology to teach younger children. If I was in elementary school and my teacher had a website that gave all the homework and certain class notes or ideas I believe that I would have been able to learn much better. The presentation also went as far as to say the teacher should teach children how to make their own blogs or pbwiki websites. That would have been really awesome to have when I was in my younger elementary grades. It also opens the door to allowing students to take pictures on a field trip then later posting them on the website for parents and relatives to see. I really found this presentation insightful and I am finally seeing how easy it is to incorporate simple forms of technology into the education environment.
This presentation really intrigued me in how it discussed using current technology to teach younger children. If I was in elementary school and my teacher had a website that gave all the homework and certain class notes or ideas I believe that I would have been able to learn much better. The presentation also went as far as to say the teacher should teach children how to make their own blogs or pbwiki websites. That would have been really awesome to have when I was in my younger elementary grades. It also opens the door to allowing students to take pictures on a field trip then later posting them on the website for parents and relatives to see. I really found this presentation insightful and I am finally seeing how easy it is to incorporate simple forms of technology into the education environment.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
So far in my experiences with technology I believe that repetition cures inexperience. Learning new information seems to be difficult predominately on the first attempt. As a person moves to attempts two and three, the repetition creates experience and in turn the knowledge to move on to a more difficult task.
Technology in today's world is amazing in how it simplifies our daily social interaction. When I was younger I never dreamed that it would be possible to write a short letter on a phone and send it to a friend's phone for them to read. My dad once told me that when he was around the age of a middle schooler, computers were the size of some dressers we store clothes in today. I believe that he never would have imagined seeing college students with computers smaller than a number of their books. After graduating high school my uncle gave me a Websters Dictionary and told me that he never would have survived college without it. It's amazing that I have never had to use that dictionary due to the technology that I am surrounded in. Imagine what technology will exist when I am the age of my father and uncle.
Technology in today's world is amazing in how it simplifies our daily social interaction. When I was younger I never dreamed that it would be possible to write a short letter on a phone and send it to a friend's phone for them to read. My dad once told me that when he was around the age of a middle schooler, computers were the size of some dressers we store clothes in today. I believe that he never would have imagined seeing college students with computers smaller than a number of their books. After graduating high school my uncle gave me a Websters Dictionary and told me that he never would have survived college without it. It's amazing that I have never had to use that dictionary due to the technology that I am surrounded in. Imagine what technology will exist when I am the age of my father and uncle.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)