Wow, this has been a short but sweet semester. The aspect I enjoyed most was that I was able to finally put it all together. I have been learning about great technology, using great technology, collaborating with teachers in using great technology, but never really understood where it fits in with my vision. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to create my educational vision and purpose at the beginning of the semester and now looking back and reflecting to see that technology, collaboration, and effective lessons utilizing both of these, encompass my vision. I can now see how technology helps me create an enviroment that is hands on, creative, realistic, engaging, etc. It allows me to fully execute my vision for learning! Thank you for helping me see this aha moment!
My most favorite tool learned, that I will be taking from this class is podcasting and blogging. I create videos for the library all the time, but I really want utilize my blog appropriately and incorporate a weekly podcast. Can't wait to get started!!
Now we can relax, well almost. :)
Friday, March 11, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Google Earth
This week we were focusing on a traveling theme since spring break is next week. We were trying to think of an activity to tie into a TEK, but we were not quite sure what to do. So, for this assignment I thought it might be neat to have the students narrate their spring break vacations using google earth. I choose this because google earth really gives them a since of being there! You are able to see the destinations up close, map it, and see all of the terrain and water views as well. Google earth in an interactive map! I think it will really give the kids a better sense of where they are rather than using a map alone, but still working on their map skills. My learning objectives were that the students would better understand the usefulness of a map, their map skills, and their spatial view. I think the outcome will be that the students will learn these skills and more! I think they will have a better grasp on mapping and how to use a map.
My view of instruction is that using technology is essential, but selecting the appropriate technology is even more essential. There are so many tools available to us! I am amazed at google and the amazing applications they have available to us to use in education. I think it is essential that teachers use technology to push students to think critically. These are the skills they will need in the future. Not to know how to use an application or technology, but the need to use the technology critically. The need to use the technology to create, differentiate, and criticize information and ideas. Just teaching them how to use technology is doing our students an injustice. It is necessary to teach them to think critically while utilizing these tools to meet an objective.
www.thebrainstormingdivas.wikispaces.com/Map+skills
My view of instruction is that using technology is essential, but selecting the appropriate technology is even more essential. There are so many tools available to us! I am amazed at google and the amazing applications they have available to us to use in education. I think it is essential that teachers use technology to push students to think critically. These are the skills they will need in the future. Not to know how to use an application or technology, but the need to use the technology critically. The need to use the technology to create, differentiate, and criticize information and ideas. Just teaching them how to use technology is doing our students an injustice. It is necessary to teach them to think critically while utilizing these tools to meet an objective.
www.thebrainstormingdivas.wikispaces.com/Map+skills
Sunday, February 27, 2011
My Very First Video Podcast!!
I decided to post my podcast onto Blogger. I created an account at www.podbean.com to host my videos, but since I have a blog I found it redundant to have two sources for podcasts. I think it would be more effective to post my podcasts into my blog instead of creating another source and location specific to podcasts. I think this is an example of how some of our technology merges and we need to choose the most effective way to use the technology versus using different web 2.0 tools individually.
This is a podcast created for my high school students about a reading contest that is currently taking place.
________________________________________________________________
I think it is totally necessary for us to change the way we think in relation to the way we work, teach, and learn. It is imperative that we as educators jump on board with technology! Being that we are teaching digital natives, we need to be able to provide them with education that is teaching them to think critically through the use technology. This will be required of them in the future.
I think change and technology is hard for some educators because they did not grow up in the technology era. Educators are also expected to teach a lot of material, and it can be daunting to create new lesson plans over new material using new technology. Unfortunately, we cannot allow a hard task to keep us from providing our students with the opportunity to think critically and prepare them for their future. We as educators have to remember what future we are preparing them for, it is different from what we were prepared for. Educators would be doing our youth an injustice to not adequately prepare them for the future they are going to encounter.
If I could wave a magic wand and change anything, I would make it possible for all of our campuses to have the technology needs available to them at all times to utilize technology for lessons and projects. In conjunction with having the available resources, I would also want teachers to desire to collaborate and create lessons that encompass technology.
This is a podcast created for my high school students about a reading contest that is currently taking place.
________________________________________________________________
I think it is totally necessary for us to change the way we think in relation to the way we work, teach, and learn. It is imperative that we as educators jump on board with technology! Being that we are teaching digital natives, we need to be able to provide them with education that is teaching them to think critically through the use technology. This will be required of them in the future.
I think change and technology is hard for some educators because they did not grow up in the technology era. Educators are also expected to teach a lot of material, and it can be daunting to create new lesson plans over new material using new technology. Unfortunately, we cannot allow a hard task to keep us from providing our students with the opportunity to think critically and prepare them for their future. We as educators have to remember what future we are preparing them for, it is different from what we were prepared for. Educators would be doing our youth an injustice to not adequately prepare them for the future they are going to encounter.
If I could wave a magic wand and change anything, I would make it possible for all of our campuses to have the technology needs available to them at all times to utilize technology for lessons and projects. In conjunction with having the available resources, I would also want teachers to desire to collaborate and create lessons that encompass technology.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Delicious!
This week in class we completed a Mapping project, learning about the validity of a website. What a coincidence!! The library assistant at the middle school and I were just working on a lesson plan to teach students to look for the validity of websites! I even told the library aide last week that I wasn't real sure how to do this and that I would have to do research regarding this issue.
Well, the quiz we took at http://www.novemberlearning.com/ was very eye opening!! I am sad to admit that I only got five completely right making me somewhat savvy, (the lowest possible level). But, I learned so much!! For example; how to view the history of a website, see who is linked to a website, see who the author is, and what all of the endings in url addresses mean. (I knew most of them, but not all) I will be taking all of these cool tools and knowledge back to school to create a lesson for our students! In verifying one of the selected websites, I found many teachers and schools linked to the website, but also a few validity check websites. This did throw up a few red flags, because are they invalid or people frequently use this site to teach how to check for validity? I also confirmed the author and viewed the history of the website. In comparing the different search engines, Google offered the best results when searching for my selected website vaguely. When searching specific all of the search engines were the same. There were some that had a ton of advertisements! This can be annoying, because when clicked you can be thrown into a website that you were not trying to go to, but I'm sure it is a good way to pay the bills for these search engines.
I think it is imperative that we teach our students online knowledge and skills! We have so many students that tell us that wikipedia said it, so it must be true!! My stomach knots up each time this happens. It is just a reminder that it is important for us as educators to teach our students how to validate websites to ensure accuracy of information. If we are not teaching the students how to critically review websites, than who is? Will they just get these skills on their own? Well they would probably be "somewhat savvy". Which means believing incorrect information, sharing incorrect information, and quoting incorrect information.
I love http://www.delicious.com/!! What a cool website!! I have been able to save so many useful websites to my account throughout grad school!! I keep forgetting it is there and save websites at school to my browser. I need to go back and update it. I added our professor as a "friend" of sorts and wow!!! There are so many quality resources available for me to browse and view! What a great resource!! I also tried out http://www.diigo.com/. I like that I was able to link it to my delicious account and I when I add it updates both. A few different features; I can make lists, categorize photos and notes.
A way we are going to utilize one of these awesome cloud technology bookmark systems is to have our eighth graders create one to store their websites for their Holocaust research paper. This year the teacher only wants to use our databases for research. I told her that was great, but that I really thought we needed to utilize delicious to help the kids keep track of their sites and to be able to work at home and school without the possibility of missing a character in the url when writing it down. She loved the idea and we will be starting soon!!
By the way, last week I mentioned a trading card project, and the project was a great success!! I will post the students creations soon!!
Well, the quiz we took at http://www.novemberlearning.com/ was very eye opening!! I am sad to admit that I only got five completely right making me somewhat savvy, (the lowest possible level). But, I learned so much!! For example; how to view the history of a website, see who is linked to a website, see who the author is, and what all of the endings in url addresses mean. (I knew most of them, but not all) I will be taking all of these cool tools and knowledge back to school to create a lesson for our students! In verifying one of the selected websites, I found many teachers and schools linked to the website, but also a few validity check websites. This did throw up a few red flags, because are they invalid or people frequently use this site to teach how to check for validity? I also confirmed the author and viewed the history of the website. In comparing the different search engines, Google offered the best results when searching for my selected website vaguely. When searching specific all of the search engines were the same. There were some that had a ton of advertisements! This can be annoying, because when clicked you can be thrown into a website that you were not trying to go to, but I'm sure it is a good way to pay the bills for these search engines.
I think it is imperative that we teach our students online knowledge and skills! We have so many students that tell us that wikipedia said it, so it must be true!! My stomach knots up each time this happens. It is just a reminder that it is important for us as educators to teach our students how to validate websites to ensure accuracy of information. If we are not teaching the students how to critically review websites, than who is? Will they just get these skills on their own? Well they would probably be "somewhat savvy". Which means believing incorrect information, sharing incorrect information, and quoting incorrect information.
I love http://www.delicious.com/!! What a cool website!! I have been able to save so many useful websites to my account throughout grad school!! I keep forgetting it is there and save websites at school to my browser. I need to go back and update it. I added our professor as a "friend" of sorts and wow!!! There are so many quality resources available for me to browse and view! What a great resource!! I also tried out http://www.diigo.com/. I like that I was able to link it to my delicious account and I when I add it updates both. A few different features; I can make lists, categorize photos and notes.
A way we are going to utilize one of these awesome cloud technology bookmark systems is to have our eighth graders create one to store their websites for their Holocaust research paper. This year the teacher only wants to use our databases for research. I told her that was great, but that I really thought we needed to utilize delicious to help the kids keep track of their sites and to be able to work at home and school without the possibility of missing a character in the url when writing it down. She loved the idea and we will be starting soon!!
By the way, last week I mentioned a trading card project, and the project was a great success!! I will post the students creations soon!!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The tenet I can relate to most is taking account of the importance of (and foster) learner motivation. I feel that creating lessons that are engaging, relevant, and new, students become engaged in the learning process and want to create, contribute, and learn. Planning lessons that students enjoy and want to contribute to will in turn produce learning. For example, a few semesters ago, one of my grad courses had us make all types of web 2.0 projects regarding the books we had read for the course. We had to make Annimotos, trading cards, wordles, and more. I found myself staying up late creating multiple versions of the projects because I was so engaged. I loved it! Good news, I learned how to use and utilize these projects in my course and have in turn used them with students through collaboration with teachers at my school. This Friday we are making presidential trading cards with 5th graders! I will try to share some of our creations with you. :)
I love the idea of an eportfolio assessment. I am so pumped about trying this out! I love google docs and knew there were a ton of google tools online, I just haven't had a chance to check them out. In creating my first google site (eportfolio) I look forward to reflecting on the work I have done, compiling my creations, and seeing a comprehensive view of the semester. I think this would be a great tool to use in the classroom for these same reasons. Students would first of all, be engaged and excited about creating online projects, and then would be excited and proud to compile them all. Students will be able to really see what they have learned all semester! I look forward to creating an eportfolio and then utilizing this concept and tool with my students!
I love the idea of an eportfolio assessment. I am so pumped about trying this out! I love google docs and knew there were a ton of google tools online, I just haven't had a chance to check them out. In creating my first google site (eportfolio) I look forward to reflecting on the work I have done, compiling my creations, and seeing a comprehensive view of the semester. I think this would be a great tool to use in the classroom for these same reasons. Students would first of all, be engaged and excited about creating online projects, and then would be excited and proud to compile them all. Students will be able to really see what they have learned all semester! I look forward to creating an eportfolio and then utilizing this concept and tool with my students!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Wiki, Wiki, What?
Wiki Creations
I discovered wiki's a few years back during a Children's Literature class with Ms. Gullett. Wow!! I love them! She did a great job of utilizing wiki's for project submission in the class so we could see how to use them. I loved having the opportunity to see everyone's creations and thoughts! Since then I have used PBworks to create wiki's for library flex time sign up sheet, Character Parade sign up sheet, book and unit ideas for teachers, and with our Friends of the Library. For this assignment I really wanted to try out a new wiki website. I selected wikispaces to address the issue of planning cooperatively together amongst our library staff. We are looking for neat lessons and ideas to implement constantly, but most of the time the staff will call me and tell me their awesome idea and I jot it down at the campus I am at on that day. I have a notebook of ideas on each campus, but the ideas are scattered across four campuses. So, I decided to create a brainstorming wiki for the staff to utilize. I have started a couple of upcoming topics space/moon and Dr. Suess' Birthday. I will try it out this week!
http://thebrainstormingdivas.wikispaces.com/
This next week I am also planning a research lesson with Second Grade. I may try to utilize a wiki with a class to compile our research. Wish me luck :)
Advantages to Wiki's
*Students can post anytime
*Students can post from anywhere
*Students can collaborate through technology
*Students are engaged and understand how to communicate through this venue and enjoy communicating this way
*Save feature so that entire groups work is not lost if accidentally deleted
Disadvantages to Wiki's
*Students may not able to collaborate in real time (depends on the lesson plan)
*Students can not edit the wiki at the exact same time
*Students need to learn and understand copyright laws
*Students must remember their password to change the site
I feel that the advantages to utilizing wiki's in the classroom are limitless!! I love them! You can use them for research projects, blogging, project submission, project critique, brainstorming, etc. The list can go on and on... I think that being digital natives, wiki's will come natural to our students and that they will prefer to collaborate and communicate through this type of venue.
I discovered wiki's a few years back during a Children's Literature class with Ms. Gullett. Wow!! I love them! She did a great job of utilizing wiki's for project submission in the class so we could see how to use them. I loved having the opportunity to see everyone's creations and thoughts! Since then I have used PBworks to create wiki's for library flex time sign up sheet, Character Parade sign up sheet, book and unit ideas for teachers, and with our Friends of the Library. For this assignment I really wanted to try out a new wiki website. I selected wikispaces to address the issue of planning cooperatively together amongst our library staff. We are looking for neat lessons and ideas to implement constantly, but most of the time the staff will call me and tell me their awesome idea and I jot it down at the campus I am at on that day. I have a notebook of ideas on each campus, but the ideas are scattered across four campuses. So, I decided to create a brainstorming wiki for the staff to utilize. I have started a couple of upcoming topics space/moon and Dr. Suess' Birthday. I will try it out this week!
http://thebrainstormingdivas.wikispaces.com/
This next week I am also planning a research lesson with Second Grade. I may try to utilize a wiki with a class to compile our research. Wish me luck :)
Advantages to Wiki's
*Students can post anytime
*Students can post from anywhere
*Students can collaborate through technology
*Students are engaged and understand how to communicate through this venue and enjoy communicating this way
*Save feature so that entire groups work is not lost if accidentally deleted
Disadvantages to Wiki's
*Students may not able to collaborate in real time (depends on the lesson plan)
*Students can not edit the wiki at the exact same time
*Students need to learn and understand copyright laws
*Students must remember their password to change the site
I feel that the advantages to utilizing wiki's in the classroom are limitless!! I love them! You can use them for research projects, blogging, project submission, project critique, brainstorming, etc. The list can go on and on... I think that being digital natives, wiki's will come natural to our students and that they will prefer to collaborate and communicate through this type of venue.
Monday, January 31, 2011
I think educational technology is integrating technology into students learning through interaction, experiences, connections, and relationships. Through frequently offering students the opportunity to think critically while utilizing technology in meaningful experiences they will truly learn and constantly build upon that knowledge.Wow loved the videos on the blog this week!!
www.etec524tamu-c.blogspot.com
I think we are on the right track, and these videos just refreshed my urgency for collaborating with teachers to help them understand how important integrating technology into the classroom really is! I loved the quote by Albert Einstein "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." We have to teach our students how to think critically, because the world is progressing very fast! We cannot allow our students to think and reason the way we did, but we must push them to think critically and create! We need to prepare them for the future! I loved the section of the second video over cell phones in the classroom! Let's harness technology for engaging students, offering students experiences, and connecting students. Let's not ban this powerful learning tool. Technology!
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