End of Semester Reflection

Wow, this semester has gone by so fast! I feel like I have learned so much over such a short amount of time. There is an enormous amount of technology available for educators. With a little time and effort, every teacher should be able to use technology within and outside of their classroom. I wish more teachers would attempt to further their knowledge and their student's knowledge and abilities by incorporating these great tools. From a website to a simple wiki, teachers can make a huge difference and a great impact on their students by putting an effort into this.  

Prior to this class, I think that I was afraid of some pieces of technology for my future classroom because I knew that there was a ton of it! I felt overwhelmed about what tools were available for educators and how to use them. I know now that you don't have to try and use every tool out there but you can use multiple ones that you really like and can focus on. Some of these tools can even be used many times (i.e. wiki, animoto, etc.). I've learned that technology can be easy and a lot of fun. 

Because of this course, I feel confident in myself to not only bring technology into my classroom but also to prepare my students with technological skills that will assist them today and in the future. I love that I can connect with the students and their families outside of class over the web. I love that I can provide my class with exciting and interactive games and information to make learning fun and hopefully unforgettable. I am excited to see what technological advances are to come and can't wait to further my learning along with my class!

Reflection #10

Google docs was another tool that caught my attention. The great thing about this one is that it is a place where anybody with a google account (which is free) can save their documents and then retrieve them later from any computer with the internet. I wish I had known about Google docs earlier because this would have been a much more efficient way of obtaining my documents. It eliminates the need for usb's and the stress when the document was not saved properly onto the usb. Google docs can also be used with group projects so that the students can display their documents onto a shared account and work online together. 

Reflection #9

One note is an application included with Microsoft. I have never used or even heard of this until a classmate described it to the class. It is an organizational tool to help the user to take notes, which is especially helpful at school. I love this because instead of just using a Word documents, there is a separate section for me to have my notes. Adding tabs for different subjects or topics is also very handy. This is great for me as a teacher to keep myself organized, as well as for students.  

Reflection #8

A piece of technology that we played with in class was the Flip Video. I think this is a really cool device. It's small and easy to use, and a lot cheaper than a camcorder. I would like to have one of these in my classroom. It would be fun to make videos of different historical events/people and then put them all together. This could be done as a class or for individual or group projects. 

Assignment #4

Again, I created a website for my technology project, which can be found here. Throughout the process of creating my website, I have learned so much. This was the first time I have ever done so, so everything was new to me. Figuring out what I wanted to add to my site and then creating it and adding a link was a challenge. It took me a long time to do this. Over time, I think that my site will really be able to develop and become great. I love that I can change it and do whatever I want to it whenever I decide. Although, remembering to keep all of the important stuff on the website without creating too much clutter is extremely important for students. There were multiple features that I used for this project. They are:

Creating a website on webs.com and adding links on the site for the following tools-

Wiki

Photobucket 

Delicious

Podcast

Blogspot

Flickr

A NETS standard that is covered by this project for teachers:

~By creating a website that includes an array of different tools, I can show my students that I have knowledge of technology and that we will learn from one another as that knowledge increases. I will continue to add to the site so that it stays current as technology develops.

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:

a.	demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.
b.	collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.
c.	communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats.
d.	model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.

A NETS standard that is covered by this project for students:

~My project meets these standards because the the student must understand the basic funtioning of the technology tools supplied in order to use them. We will work together to fix problems that we come across. By using the tools provided to create projects, presentations, and to communicate with one another, students will learn technology operations and concepts. 

6.	Technology Operations and Concepts
	Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
	a. understand and use technology systems. b. select and use applications effectively and productively. c. troubleshoot systems and applications. d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

Future Classroom

In five years, I hope that my classroom is full of energy and interaction between all students and myself. As I use technology more and more, I feel comfortable using it and sharing it with others. My role as a teacher is to share my knowledge with the students and teach them how to use and learn from the differents tools available to us. I will be learning along with the students as new technologies develop so patience is a must. Some pieces of technology that I hope to incorporate into my classroom are the SMARTBoard (or any interactive whiteboard), Document Projector, clickers or eggs, and of course the computer. I would love to use multiple technology devices everyday and hope that my students will be excited and willing to learn to use them as well. 

Peer Comments!

Hillary O.  

Liliya P.

Annie F. 

Bailey R. 

Tammy L.

Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

I have used all three of these tools. The main reason for using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is for school projects and assignments. I have worked with Word the most out of the three. It has many useful features. In Word, a person can write essays, take notes, make lists and handouts, and much more. It is capable of changing font size, color, and type and adding Clip Art or pictures from the Web. Excel is an excellent program as well. I like to use Excel for making charts. It provides neat columns and rows for organization. PowerPoint is best for showing a slideshow or information that is being taught. I have used these for class presentations and have seen teachers use PowerPoint to convey their lessons. PowerPoint is like Word, but is displayed in the form of slides. The information on each slide is typically short and sweet, with pictures and colors to add to the creativity. 

With Word, I could have my students write an essay on an historical event or figure. With Excel, my students could create a timeline for a period of time that we are studying. PowerPoint could be used to create a presentation on a researched topic that will then be presented to the class.  

K12 Online Conference

One conference that I visited was called Parents Engagement in the 21st Century. There were many points that I agreed with in this conference. The first woman speaking says early on that mistakes made by children in school are natural. There are consequences for their actions, but then we move on. I think sometimes certain teachers can dwell on their student's mistakes and even hold it against them. Everyone makes mistakes. It is part of life and we need to learn to move on. The main gist of the broadcast was finding and using tools to create more parent envolvement. Supporting our students and encouraging them to act and think responsibly is vital for their success. Matt Mantagne mentions that filtering school computers may do more harm then good. It challenges the student to find ways around the filter and also can block educational content. Learning what and how our children use tools available on the internet is key to building a relationship with them. If parents use the same tools that their children use (facebook, blogs, etc.) they will better know what their kids are doing online. Although this can be time consuming, it is important to make the time to engage. For parents and teachers both, resources need to be provided in order to remain updated on technology. This is one of the main problems here. Resources can be found everywhere, so with time and determination the task is not impossible. Overall, I think that these conferences are really handy in learning something new or expanding your knowledge of a particular subject. Parents, educators, and anyone else interested in the education field would greatly benefit from visiting this site and sites like this one.    

Reflection #7

As I was reading President Obama's plan about technology (read here), there were points that I strongly agreed with and some I was unsure about. The number one point raised is to keep the internet open to keep the ability of connecting individuals across the world possible. Another area I agreed with was preparing children for the 21st century economy, including the improvement of education in the math and science fields. The whole plan seems great and that it would alleviate many problems related to technology and education, but from this article, I do not see any direct solutions. The article explains the outcomes but not how we are going to get there.    

Reflection #6

During one of our class periods, we had three former education students visit and talk about their experiences. I found this to be very beneficial and wish that we could do this more often. I think it is different when a professor is describing the first year of teaching compared to someone who is going through it right now. The teaching field is continuously evolving, so it is necessary to incorporate new thoughts and ideas to keep us updated. I really appreciated the opportunity to speak to these women, and hope that future students will be able to do so as well.  

Inspiration

Inspiration is a really neat tool that can be used in the classroom. There are also many different uses for Inspiration. For instance, a teacher can prepare an outline or diagram for the class as the introduction or review for a unit. Another way to use this tool is taking your students to the computer lab and having them work on a project through Inspiration. There are many features that I liked and some that I did not. I liked that you could either add different parts to the diagram or could use ones that the site provides. I also liked that examples were included by subject and descriptions. Because Inspiration is new to me, I had a hard time getting started. I could not find an 'import' button where I could use pictures from the internet in Inspiration. I'm sure that this is possible and with more experience developing these projects will be easier. Overall, I think that this is a very useful tool and I think students would really enjoy using it. I would definitely recommend Inspiration to other teachers because I think it would only benefit the classroom.

Technology Project Plan

I think I want to create a website for my future classroom. On the site, I will have links like a calender for the students that includes homework, school events, etc. Another link would be a wiki for students to sign up for projects, somewhere for the students to ask questions/comment, videos or information regarding what we are currently learning, and other things as well. I would like to do a website because I think this will be very beneficial for me. As a secondary social studies teacher, I want to have a website so the students can follow along with what we are doing in class. I want to be interactive with them and give them the opportunity to use their 'technology skills' or maybe gain some. 

I went with my plan to create a website for my project. So far, I have created my site and added some text to the 'home' page. I am also in the process of adding a calender with a wiki attached. Some other ideas are to add music/podcast to the site, flickr, and some sort of photo show in the 'about me' page. 

'Blogs for Educators'

One of the blogs that I looked at was:

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

This site was really cool. The first item up was different methods of teaching students. I love this because so many students learn in so many different ways that it is important to keep this in mind at all times. The bloggers example was of a video of a flight attendant who raps the preflight instructions to the passengers. I bet this made every passenger aware and listening to what was going on. The site also lists many different resources for teachers of many subjects.  They have links sorted into subject areas, such as social studies and math so it is easy for people to find what they are looking for. 

The second blog I looked at was:

http://www.ncs-tech.org/

This blog is full of information as well. It is very organized and includes pictures and videos along with the text. At the top of the page is links that you can follow to obtain more information. On the left-hand side is categories. This was my favorite part of the blog. There are so many helpful tools that people can look at here. There are different subjects included in this blog as well, which can help a bigger variety of viewers. 

SMARTBoard Presentation

Teaching with the SMARTBoard was really fun. As a teacher, you would really need to prepare the activities and make sure that the information and skill/fancyness level of the lesson or review matches your students level. It is also important to walk through the lesson several times to make sure all parts are working properly and that you know what to do and what the answers are. The interactive whiteboards are great to use as a class, and I think that if a system were in place for the students to come up and play with it/answer the questions, that would be best. Otherwise, you may not get volunteers!

Caught on video

The use of video seems like it would benefit many different types of professions. I never thought about a doctor using an iphone or a device like it to convey procedures and such to patients. It's a great idea, especially for those who are more visual than auditory. I like how the article listed scenarios where the flip video could be useful. It gave me ideas that I can integrate into the classroom in the future when I am a teacher. My favorite suggestion is number 11-recording a 'play by play' of what the student has done over a period of time. Instead of having to describe all of a student's accomplishments to their parents (which can be time consuming and hard to remember), video taping throughout the term will actually show the parents what their child has done. With technology continually advancing, I think that this concept will be used in classrooms more and more. 

Assignment #3

The activity I picked for the SMARTBoard is about Roman Gods. This would be a good activity for reviewing the different Roman Gods and the difference between monotheism and polytheism. I picked this activity because there is an array of games involved. There are plenty of opportunities for the whole class to be involved, either calling out answers or coming up and playing with the board.

The link to the activity is:

http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-US/Ed+Resource/Lesson+activities/Notebook+Activities/Browse+Notebook/United+States/Secondary/7-9/Social+Studies/Roman+Gods.htm 

*My activity meets the following standards for various reasons. It teaches about ancient Rome and their beliefs in different Gods and Goddesses. The activity allows the class to use different forms of learning. Discussing the different Roman Gods will benefit auditory learners, The slides containing descriptions and pictures will benefit the visual learners, and being able to go up to the board and play the games will help the kinetic learners. 

*I think the SMARTBoard can improve my classroom in many different ways. You can be as creative as you want with the activities. If you wish, you can edit the activities provided to fit the style/needs of your classroom by adding or removing slides. It also gives a chance for the whole class to participate. It can be used as an introduction to a lesson, in the middle to provide information, or at the end for review. I think the SMARTBoard is great and will benefit any and every class. 

   

NETS standards:

Teachers-

4. Promote and Model Digital citizenship and responsibility 

b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources 

       c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information 

Students-

6.	Technology Operations and Concepts
	Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
	a. understand and use technology systems. b. select and use applications effectively and productively.

d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

Grade 7
Social Studies
EALR			WA.4.	HISTORY - The student understands and applies knowledge of historical thinking, chronology, eras, turning points, major ideas, individuals, and themes in local, Washington State, tribal, United States, and world history in order to evaluate how history shapes the present and future.
	COMPONENT		4.3.	Understands that there are multiple perspectives and interpretations of historical events.
		BENCHMARK / GLE	4.3.1.	HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION: Analyzes and interprets historical materials from a variety of perspectives in Washington State or world history.
		BENCHMARK / GLE	4.3.2.	MULTIPLE CAUSATION: Analyzes multiple causal factors that shape major events in Washington State or world history.
	COMPONENT		4.4.	Uses history to understand the present and plan for the future.
		BENCHMARK / GLE	4.4.1.	HISTORICAL ANTECENDENTS: Analyzes how an event in Washington State or world history helps us to understand a current issue.
EALR			WA.5.	SOCIAL STUDIES SKILLS - The student understands and applies reasoning skills to conduct research, deliberate, form, and evaluate positions through the processes of reading, writing, and communicating.
	COMPONENT		5.1.	Uses critical reasoning skills to analyze and evaluate positions.
		BENCHMARK / GLE	5.1.1.	UNDERSTANDS REASONING: Understands evidence supporting a position on an issue or event.
		BENCHMARK / GLE	5.1.2.	EVALUATES REASONING: Evaluates the breadth of evidence supporting positions on an issue or event.

Peer Comments!

Lorree's page:

http://techedclass.blogspot.com/2009/02/assignment-1.html?showComment=1236106500000#c7929384424211331074

Annie's page:

http://englishteacherannie.blogspot.com/2009/02/assignment-2.html?showComment=1236109680000#c190227257382306933

Cathy's page:

http://accaghayes.blogspot.com/2009/03/reflection-4-cool-art-site-for-kids.html?showComment=1236111360000#c4376367968160814525

Hillary's page:

http://missott-hillary.blogspot.com/2009/02/blessed-reflection-4.html?showComment=1236112200000#c6666758878386185072

Anna's page:

http://math-addict-anna.blogspot.com/2009/03/reflection-2.html?showComment=1236112620000#c4341708841762125678

Reflection #5

I found an article of this really cool idea that can be used in every subject area, althought the article uses it is history class. The article talks about using something as simple as a tissue box to teach history. This is something that the students can do on an individual level or in groups. Because there are six sides, each side can be used to display information. On the top of the box, the student(s) write what there project is about. On the bottom they write their name, teacher/class, and sources used. The remaining four sides can be determined by you, but some examples are a description of the event/person/thing, a visual (picture/map), interesting facts, pictures of how the topic is viewed today, or how the event is connected with other subjects (math, science, etc.). I think this would be a really fun and unique project to do. It gives the students a chance to be as creative as they want while still learning valuable information. 

Here's the link: http://teachertipstraining.suite101.com/article.cfm/teaching_history_with_a_box 

Reflection #4

I know we have talked about this already, but I have to mention the SMARTBoard again. I really love this. I hope that in the school I teach in has these as well. While observing a class, I noticed that they had an Interactive Whiteboard on their wall. I think I like this one the best. The teacher did not have to wheel in and set up the board everyday. With these boards, I feel like we wouldn't need whiteboards anymore since it is the same thing, only better. You can still write on the interactive boards (with the special pens only) just like you would regular whiteboards. Also, you don't have to take the time spraying the board and erasing everything you wrote. With the click of a button or a swipe of the special eraser, all the work is done for you. What a time saver! And all of your activities for your lesson can be right there for you. Carrying around a USB is a lot more efficient than always having to carry around supplies and material for your class activities.