Reflective Post.

EME 2040 

     

     At the beginning of this semester I thought this class was going to go over how some technology programs worked; however, I'm glad it was more than that. I have been exposed to many different sites that will be useful in my field. It's a good thing we were introduced to Delicious because I would never be able to remember all the different sites. This class taught me more than just sites though, I learned what "Hash tags" are, Wikis, I made a pecha kucha, and instructional pages. 

     With Delicious when we insert a link we can use different tags, to label what it is, so if we think of it differently in the future we can somewhat narrow it down. As far as the learning outcomes, I can now make my own webpage and web quest because of your given resources. The collaborative web page was a challenge because the only form of communication was through the page itself. 

Photo credit to Matthew Hester from Flickr

      Also I learned about Creative Commons, and how important copyrighted material really is. I'm glad I now know of Flickr so I can be smart about what photos I use, and to give proper credit to the owner. I used this picture because this entire course everything was at our fingertips. No more is pen and paper, but to be used in the digital world, or pens are our fingers, and the ink is the letters of the keyboard.

     To conclude, I just want to say yes this was a lot of work in this class; however, it's been useful. I feel as though this is going to be some of the most useful material in my career. To enhance this course I would actually have liked to do a live chat through Skype, or something, just to better my understand of living in a digital world. I think that would make if feel more real. Maybe next time we could work that into being a scheduled assignment. Lastly I just want to thank you for being a wonderful teacher. :) 

Resources: 

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5     

Journal post #10

Chapter 10:Promoting Success for All Students through Technology.

Focus Question: How can teachers use technology to create universally designed classrooms?

     Not every child is the same, and so one method for all is not applicable. It's hard enough being the only teacher for twenty different kids, but with the use of technology we can become more efficient in the little amount of time we have with each student. For example, but using computers to take tests on or to even read, we can allow head sets to listen and help sound out the words they have difficulties with. As teachers our common goal is for our students to succeed; but honestly the school day isn't nearly long enough to establish a rapport with each individual, to define their specific needs and to find what works best for them. That's why with technology we can adapt to our students based off what the results show. So basically if we use technology, we can universally establish an idea of how our students need to be taught, in order to learn.
 I like this quote from our book: "The purpose of universal design in schools is "Full participation and access for students with disabilities while providing individualized options for all" (Hehir, 2005, p.99)."    

Tech Tool: Extra large and online calculators.

     Kids love different objects, or anything that can grab their attention, and the CC16 Extra-large calculator from Kikkerland is most definitely an attention grabber. I've learned it only performs the basic functions, (adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing) but as children that's all they really need. I feel as though this can be used as a universal tool for students because of the large buttons. Because of how large it is, this tool can be used by other students who don't exactly have control of their fingers, or are even visually impaired. Also this calculator can even spark other topics such as the origin of the "Calculator."  I've also learned about the online calculators, featuring links to more than 22,000 calculation programs by Jim Martindale. This site has online simulations, and teaching modules.

 

 

 

Photo credit to 401(K) 2013 from Flickr

 

 

   Summary:

     To conclude, as our world is becoming more and more diverse, with unique individuals everyday, we can still rely on technology to be universal. Gone are the days of the "One size fits all" and here are the individual educational learning plans, focused on the specific individual; but because we just do not have enough time in our days, and enough days in the school year, we need technology. Although we can utilize technology for testing purposes, and evaluating a students level, we can not determine their performance unless we watch them every step of the way, technology just makes extra time for us to establish somewhat more of a rapport with our students.

Resources:

Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    
EME2040 Sample Blog
Blogger 
 youtube.com 
Flickr.com 

Journal Post #9

Creating and sharing information with multimedia technologies.

Focus question: What is multimedia technology and how can teachers use it to effectively create and share visual information dynamically in their teaching?

     From reading the text, I've learned that "Multimedia" means "the presentation of material using both words and pictures." This also goes to include, videos, voice, sounds and animation. Also in the book they assume the student's learning will enhance by use several different sources to teach, I happen to agree with this. As we advance into our "Digital world" our students are not going to enjoy caring around large text books with tons of print, they're going to prefer watching a video, or a brief power point. By forcing our students to read lots of text is just going to confuse them if they can't grasp the concepts to begin with; whereas if there's a video with a demonstration, or some other picture or illustration, the student's will actually comprehend the information.

After watching this video I thought about what it would have been like to only have a text book describe this to me. I don't think I would have understood this concept at all if it weren't for a video. On top of that, I didn't even have to leave the comfort of my own home. 

Tech Tool: Digital Projectors.

     Digital projectors are a wonderful invention. Instead of rolling in the giant television hooking that up every time, along with that, not everyone could see, so we would have to move our seats, and get situated, all that takes too long. To have a projector it allows our students to sit where ever they're assigned, and still see the board with ease. I enjoy the digital projectors, especially the newer ones, that don't require the over head lamp that blinds us. I prefer today's smart boards. We can show any kind of document on there, edit it, take extra notes on the board and save it to the file. I've actually has a math teacher who would write all his problems on the board, print them out and give them to us as study notes.

Photo credit to Rebecca Morrison from Flickr

Summary:

     To conclude, I enjoy and encourage using multimedia technology in the class room. With each passing day there seems to be something new coming out in our digital world. With us being so busy, and too many places to commute, having the internet and being able to stay connected by the web, to watch videos, tutorials, gather information, all while saving time, money and different expenses. If our kids today are more capable with using technology I think we should embrace it; who really want's to lug around a ton of books when we can down load them all? Who want's to spend countless hours in the library flipping through pages, or having to find a baby sitter because you have to meet at a specific location. By using multimedia we can use different web casts, and still chat face to face.


     
Resources:
Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    
EME2040 Sample Blog
Blogger

Journal Post #8

Chapter 8 communicating and networking with websites, blogs, wikis, and more.

Focus Question: How can teachers use communications technologies as teaching and learning tools.

     With the world toady being so far advanced in just a short while, we now have access to almost everything at our fingertips, why not embrace it? As an everyday person might use e-mail to relay information, blogs, online discussions or identify a website, they're still using and portraying information. With the use of the web and the internet we can reach out to so many more resources, with the internet we as educators are not limited. Also, most of our students already used these tools for recreational use, so if teachers could mandate a separate account for educational purposes, the students will already know how to navigate their way about the pages, and will be connected to not only just their friends, but their classmates and the teacher as well, even after school hours. As we have just explored in our class, in Google documents we can collaboratively work on an assignment at once without clustering around at a desk, or being loud from verbal discussion. Or we could implement the use of Google Blogger to use as a journal, and instead of passing around a notebook we as a class could access any page all at once.

Tech Tool: Teacher website and blog-building resources.

     I am going to focus on the second approach. Staying connected is a be deal in today's society, not only with personal friends, but in the classroom with your peers as well. At the same time we as educators need to be cautious of how we use the internet, and be cautious of what information may be out there. By using the second approach (Commercially Available Template) this allows us to create many different functions that also happen to be password protected. With this approach we can invite our students to create their own blogs, and instead of using the internet in a toxic way, by the teacher monitoring what is talked about in the posts, maybe the students will steer away from a negative influence and learn to be proactive with the opportunities the internet presents.

Summary:

     All in all I feel as though the internet is a very powerful tool, that can be used to our advantage. We as educators just need to have an open mind, be more educated and explore the different tools we can use. As teachers we should be looking for more ways to communicate with our students, and technology is a wonderful gateway to a better communication path. Instead of our students posting their discussions on other recreational sites such as "Facebook" and the "Twitter" we can open a new door to some proactive sites, such as Google Blogger. It's almost like having an online journal, where if you have a question you can always reach someone or some resource.

Resources:

Youtube video credit is given to: ahstechteacher

Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011).Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    

EME2040 Sample Blog

Blogger

Journal post #7

Chapter 7: Problem Solving and Inquiry Learning with Software and Web Tools.

Focus Question: How can teachers use computer games and simulations as learning resources?
   
     As the book states, when most teachers, parents and students hear the idea of using games to learn, they automatically think video games; and actually that's exactly right. Instead of thinking negatively about video games we need to stop being blindsided by the inaccurate acquisition of them all being violent, being rated for a mature audience and the main cause for our youths deterioration. Of course these are always going to be out and available, but by being an effective teacher, we can implement games that are designed to be fun, and even teach a full lesson. By playing games to learn the students are still applying all their academic skills. When playing a game are there not directions they must read and follow, maybe a little math involved, but most of all the literacy and vocabulary that's hidden within the content of the application. Our students are improving their hand-eye coordination, reading and responding. I agree with our book when it says, "Gaming creates a "virtual worlds for learning."      

Tech Tool: A math learning game- Zoombinis Logical Journey.

      With today's world quickly advancing, always coming out with technologies, upgraded versions and more appealing ideals to students then just being a scholar, we as teachers need to be more creative, and especially working with little elementary school kids we need to be able to capture their attention despite the surrounding outside environment. I have discovered the Zoombinis Logical Journey is not only fun and creative, but there are many different levels, and there's not a one chance time to get the answer right, this game allows the students to learn from their mistakes, implementing real word strategies. This is also a critical thinking game, to sharpen those skills as well.

                                                   Video credit to ratchet5 from youtube


Summary:

     To conclude, I have fallen victim to believing the myths of how games are bad for our youth and they only rot their minds, but now I know there is more to gaming then meets the eye. After reading this chapter, and exploring this Tech Tool I have gained further insight to different applications that can be even more entreating to our students and actually beneficial. 

Resources:

http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/563155-zoombinis-logical-journey 

Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    
EME2040 Sample Blog
Blogger

Journal Post #6

Teaching with Educational Websites and Other Online Resources

Focus Question: How are information management technologies such as bookmarking, social bookmarking, and information alerts useful to teachers.

     Information management technologies such as bookmarking are very useful to teachers (and everyone) because, although I like to believe teachers are informational sources themselves, we can't always remember where we've found useful information. I have just been introduced to "Delicious" which is a bookmarking website where I can store a website I found, by labeling it with words that I would use to describe it later if I had forgotten the title. Also on this site, you can become "Friends" with one another and network informational sites, view each others profile, and access many other sites we may not have known about. By bookmarking our sites online, with the use of our computer, we can effectively store our information in one place, becoming organized, and easily accessible.  

Tech Tool: An Interactive Online Field Trip: The Cave of Chauvet-Point-D'Arc.

     The World Wide Web is in fact endless, it holds many opportunities, and awaits what we can create next. By utilizing the internet, we can connect with numerous people and organizations, we can become interactive and broaden our "Group work." For example, in a science class we can do dissections, and take a virtual tour around the inside of our specimen. The best part of being interactive, is the long distant learning. We can communicate with people and other scholars across the world.       

Summary:

     To conclude, teaching with educational websites, and other online resources, are very useful in today's fast paced modern world. With so many useful websites to interact with, by bookmarking them, using "Tags" to label them with words to better describe, so you could find anything with ease at your finger tips. The use of technology has tremendously impacted our world, and with the use of it, we can navigate ourselves to every corner of it.     

Resources:
Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    
EME2040 Sample Blog
Blogger
Flickr.com

Photo credit to Howie Weiner from Flickr

Journal post #5

Researching and Evaluating Internet Information.

Focus Question: What are search engines and how do they work?

     It's almost as I've been using technology "blindly," without actually knowing what a "search engine" was, I've been using them all along. A search engine is anything that you would type a topic of interest into, and it'll find an abundance of information for you automatically. From my text book it says it's a "Software program that uses networks of computers to access from it's database." We type in the "Keywords" an it searches instantaneously.

Tech Tool: Photo and Audio Resources on the Web.

     We all like to associate words with visuals, and sometimes maybe that's the only part someone can take away. By adding photos and audio we can better explain thing by having them pronounced to us, maybe we're reading something above our level and if it's not pronounced right, we can misinterpret the whole concept. One resource I'd like to focus on is "Flickr." I've become very familiar with this site, one that I've never known before. It's a great place to find images, that are appropriate, and also be able to share with one another. (But also remembering to give proper credit to the owner of the image.)

Summary:

     All in all, search engines are like rummaging through an entire library, in the matter of seconds and photo and audio resources are very useful as well. In fact, if you don't know the URL for a specific site, you would use a search engine using the keywords until you found it. Flickr, for example, I had used Google, (a search engine) to find the website, and on that site, to find the image I wanted, I would search for it using their search engine.

 Resources:

Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    
EME2040 Sample Blog
Blogger


 Flickr.com

Photo credit to Karl Foxley from Flickr

    

Journal Post #4

Chapter 4 : Integrating Technology and Creating change.

 Focus Question: How can teachers integrate technology into their work as educators?

     This question excites me, I almost feel as though every person in the education field should take a second and ponder about this question; this doesn't just apply to teachers, this could apply to everyone. I'm going to focus on the teachers roll, (For the sake of this blog).
     As an educator, we should be at least one (1) step ahead of our students. Yes there is nothing more enjoyable than seeing our students teach us, but to really embrace integrating technology teachers need to approach it from and educational aspect. I do feel as though  we need to make sure the technological advances we're achieving are still within the students grade window, (assuming they haven't surpassed us).
     Encouraging the use of power point, and more citations from websites, (Allowing us to recognize they understand the five (5) major criteria). I grew up during the "Birth" of technology, some of my teachers were eager to explore the endless world of the internet, and any new programs they could download, and there were others who opposed the internet, and require us to do things the "Old school" way. Granted people have graduated, and become very successful by spending hours on end in a library, but, if we could find the exact same resources in a fraction of the time, wouldn't that mare room for more successes?

Tech Tool: Online resources for lesson planning: Thinkfinity, PBS Teachers, and Gliffy.

     With these resources, (if teachers utilize them) will help sharpen or even develop the skills of many. Not every teacher out there is a veteran, and still even veterans could use a little advise from new teachers. We as a society are only going to advance by communicating. Communication can happen in may different ways, the internet just happens to be the most convenient; we can chat face to face, or check messages when available, my point is, if we explore these sites, display our inputs, and experiences, we as teachers can grow and better our kids. There's no use in teaching if you only know how to teach one way, not everyone learns the same way. So with Thinkfinity, there are an abundance of educational organizations we can embrace and learn from, or Gliffy, where I just discovered it gives tips and pointer on how to set up your class room.

Summery:

    Something as simple as that can be shared and applied, students can only learn what they can see, and what they see is determined by where they sit. I feel as though if they see teachers constantly learning and applying new technologies, it's going to influence them to work harder, and most importantly, together.

Resources:
     Flicker.com
    
Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    
EME2040 Sample Blog
Blogger

Photo credit to Barry Joseph from Flicker 

 

 

 

 

Journal post #3

Chapter 3: Developing lessons with technology.

Focus question: How can teachers evaluate and assess their students?

Tech tool: Online rubrics and quizzes.

     In this chapter I've explored how teachers can evaluate their students; before I even read the chapter I had ideas flowing through my head. I strongly feel as though technology is the best way to track, evaluate and assess our students, because by the use of technology students will probably feel more comfortable using devices that they already know how to use, and feel more secure, knowing that the only eyes who are going to see what they write is the teachers.

     As teachers we can access all of our students windows and screens, see what sites they have visited, and by them doing work over the internet, submitting it to us, the computer is less likely to make a mistake, so grading won't take as long and we can focus more of our attention on our students in the specific areas they need it; instead of grading it our selves and wasting valuable time.

Photo credit to Paco Paco from Flickr

     Online rubrics are wonderful! I can't tell you how many times I lost the assignment paper or it got ruined in my back pack, where as if it's online, it can't get ripped, wet or lost,(unless the teacher deletes it). Quizzes online make it easier to do on your own time. Life is hectic, it's hard to attend class on time every time when there are so many other things we could be doing. Thus, making a rubric and quiz available online allows us as humans to fit more into our day.

     All in all, we live very busy lives, not every student is going to be at the same level, as I read in the section about "Standards-Based Assessments" it's a national test, so scores are compared all around the country. If we were to administer something like that, grade it by hand, and compare it by hand, we wouldn't know what the national average is until it's too late. So, what I'm trying to say is we need technology, to better our students in a timely manor, to progress in our very fast paced world.

Resources:
Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    
EME2040 Sample Blog
Blogger
Flickr.com

Journal post #2

Chapter 2. "Transforming Learning with Unique, Powerful Technology."

Focus Question: How does technology create student engagement and collaboration?

Tech tool: Web resources for engagement and collaboration.

          I just want to start out with saying that I had a hard time focusing on just one question. To me some of them actually work together, or happen because of one another.

        To begin with creating student engagement and collaboration I just want to break this apart and look at it small pieces at a time. Technology enables us to create almost anything we put our thoughts into, I came across the tech tool, web resources for engagement and collaboration and there's an abundance of them! There's a web site for everything, with that being said, that means a lot of people put time and effort into something that someone else is going to see, thus the collaborating part.

        Under the segment "Group work and collaboration in the classroom" it made me think of how after all the work was done for each specific group, I would look around the room and realize that I know a whole new chapter because we came together as a class, worked on sections, and basically taught it to each other.
Along with this segment is the use of incorporating new uses of technology, while reading is always going to be a necessity, if we gave each kid some sort of kindle with access to a library full of books, they wouldn't be wasting time walking back and forth from the library.

Photo credit IntelFreePress from Flickr

        When kids get together and collaborate their ideas for a project, not one of them is going to have the same exact idea, or may not even be able to decide. By the use of technology engaging them, first of all because they're automatically excited to use something that they are already familiar with, and second, I think by using technology it gives the kids a sense of something "Important." When combining these together I feel as though they're going to come up with something great, and what's even better about technology is as we are not all "Picasso's" by typing into a search engine what you're trying to design, create or express, it's going to come up with something they would have never imagined.

        To wrap this chapter up I feel as though technology creates student engagement by enabling them to express their creativity in unimaginable ways, due to the use of unlimited web based resources and being brought together by a common factor; technology.

Resources:
Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    
EME2040 Sample Blog
Blogger
 Flickr.com

Journal Post #1.

Tuesday, August 27th 2013.

Becoming an e-Teacher.

Focus question: "How do new technologies create new opportunities for teaching and learning?"

       If not everyone learns the same way, then why not tend to those needs? To be a teacher I believe you need to be able to distinguish all your student's levels of comprehension, and rates. Not everyone learns at the same speed or the same way, so by the use of technology it incorporates a variety of ways for students to learn. I haven't realized how we really are living in a digital world until I began this class. It all just seemed almost natural, (once I got the hang of the new device).
   
     Speaking of new devices, I had read about the "Tech Tool, Ultraportable Laptop Computers," coincidentally, I am on a laptop right now. These are great tools for educators and especially for students!

      If we could give each student their own laptop they would be able to access helpful learning tools to meet their specific needs as an individual, within the classroom and not feel embarrassed to be identified as a "Slow learner." So by having a laptop to take notes on or conduct research in class the students can partake at their own rate.
   
     Also in this chapter I read that different races have a significant difference in the overall use of the computer. If it's the 21st century, we are all created (and now legally) equal to one another then why the difference in statistics? It may be due to the different financial classes we still hold, and on that note being the reason why some kids aren't doing as well in school because to obtain technology it also comes with a price. That is why I feel as though it should be supplied by the school, intended for school. (Just a side note on the school supplying them, they should allow maybe during lunch time for students to play and socialize, just to keep from wondering off during class time; we have to keep in mind students are kids first).

         I would have to consider myself as an "Inexperienced experimenters," because I do have a social networking site, and I do use the internet to broaden my horizon for research. (Honestly I'm too lazy to lazy and wouldn't know where to begin at an actual library). Implementing the use of laptops for students would allow me as a teacher become a student again, learning new material. I didn't have my own computer in my classes, so to me if I had, maybe I would have taken better notes, or have had a better understanding of technology. Indicated by this textbook, we are living with Generation M, in the digital world; with that being said I can only assume that these kids would know their way around technology devices better than I.

    Another topic from the text I want to touch on is motivating students, if we give them their very own computer it will give them a sense of importance, and probably engage more in learning activities. This will give teachers another opportunity to use new technology as well as students learning in a new way. When we teach to the way they think is "Fun" the students will associate their studies with the everyday use of the internet and newer technologies.

         Over all I feel incorporating the use of technology in classrooms is a wonderful idea! Technology is absolutely essential in today's fast pace world, teachers don't have time to do things on paper and spend time in libraries researching topics for their next class. We as teachers need devices to store all of our information so it doesn't get lost, and carrying around mounds of papers just doesn't seem necessary if we can incorporate the use of a laptop. The same applies for students, why cause early back problems by lugging around pounds of books when it can all be accessed through the internet.    

Test post

Blah blah blah! lol :)