Instructional Technology Class has taught me a lot about technology that I did not already know. I had no idea that you could do some many cool things on the web like Voki, Animoto, and different visual effects like these. There are so many that can enhance learning and help make teaching about a subject fun. I also learned that imac computers are really nice and offer a lot of cool projects that can be done by students. Working with SMART boards was also fun and I cannot wait to get into the classroom and start working with one!
I hope to include a lot of the projects that I did in this class in my own classroom some day. I want to use Voki, Animoto, and all the other Web 2.0 projects in my lessons to help enhance the lesson with visuals. If I am teaching older students, I plan to use the imovie to help them with presentations. What I liked best about all the projects that we learned about is that they bring out the creative side in the students. I think learning is so much more fun when the students take ownership and get to be creative with what they are learning! I would recommend taking an instructional technology class if you are going to be a teacher! It teaches you so much more then you ever knew!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The Future of Technology
The future...it seems like such a far off place yet it is right around the corner; it is even tomorrow! Technology in the future is something that scares me. I have no idea where it is going to go or even what else we can invite and come up with to make our lives even more easy then they already are. But I am not the first person to think about this and wonder what else do we possibly need.
Technology will always effect me because I will be teaching in the classroom where the last items will most like be used. The SMART boards are used mostly in the classroom. I had never seen one until coming to Grace University, but of course I did not attend public school. I do believe that technology is not something to be afraid of but it is something to understand how much power it holds. We need to analysis everything new invention and say, just because we can does not make it right. We need to start thinking about what we are doing instead of just doing just because we can. I believe that technology is a gift to mankind. We need to see it as a gift and treat it the way we should, as something prestigious that can be misused!
Technology will always effect me because I will be teaching in the classroom where the last items will most like be used. The SMART boards are used mostly in the classroom. I had never seen one until coming to Grace University, but of course I did not attend public school. I do believe that technology is not something to be afraid of but it is something to understand how much power it holds. We need to analysis everything new invention and say, just because we can does not make it right. We need to start thinking about what we are doing instead of just doing just because we can. I believe that technology is a gift to mankind. We need to see it as a gift and treat it the way we should, as something prestigious that can be misused!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Academic Honesty
Academic Honesty can be understood in terms of not cheating or copying other students' work. But it is so much more then this. It can be understood in terms of not resubmitting an assignment that was already use by your for another assignment. I have never thought about it in these terms before. I always understood it to mean that we are simply not cheating or copying. But taken in these terms, it really challenges the framework of morals that we hold students and even ourselves to.
I have struggled with knowing how to teach this to students. It is such an important topic that I cannot ignore it yet it must be taught. I believe that the best way to teach about academic honesty is to actually teach about it. Informing your students about this issue is important because it helps them to understand what it looks like. Students may think that because something is never addressed, like resubmitting an assignment, then it must be okay. As a teacher, teaching on this topic for a couple hours at the beginning of the year will inform my students of what I am looking for in their work as well as what is acceptable and what is not. They will then hopefully see the important of being honest with their school work.
I have struggled with knowing how to teach this to students. It is such an important topic that I cannot ignore it yet it must be taught. I believe that the best way to teach about academic honesty is to actually teach about it. Informing your students about this issue is important because it helps them to understand what it looks like. Students may think that because something is never addressed, like resubmitting an assignment, then it must be okay. As a teacher, teaching on this topic for a couple hours at the beginning of the year will inform my students of what I am looking for in their work as well as what is acceptable and what is not. They will then hopefully see the important of being honest with their school work.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is a growing problem within our schools. Cyberbullying is a fairly recent term. When we break the word down, we see two words that we know very well, cyber and bullying. Cyber means "the culture of the computers, information technology and virtual reality". Bullying means "using superior strength of influence to intimidate". When we put those two words together we come up with the definition of cyberbullying: using superior strength of influence to intimidate by means of computers, information technology, and virtual reality.
As teachers, we need to educated our students on how they should act online. It is important for them to understand just how dangerous using the internet for bullying can be. Here are some great websites you can use within your classroom to help you talk about cuberbullying and its growing problem.
This website is really great for parents, it has articles and ideas to help their children not bully on the web.
http://www.parenting.com/article/anti-bullying-websites?page=0,0
As teachers, we need to educated our students on how they should act online. It is important for them to understand just how dangerous using the internet for bullying can be. Here are some great websites you can use within your classroom to help you talk about cuberbullying and its growing problem.
This website is really great for parents, it has articles and ideas to help their children not bully on the web.
http://www.parenting.com/article/anti-bullying-websites?page=0,0
Ages 5-7
Professor Garfield Cyberbullying: Download this Garfield app on your iPad with comics regarding to cyberbullying, it keeps kids entertained and its free! Professor Garfield Cyberbullying
Professor Garfield Cyberbullying: Download this Garfield app on your iPad with comics regarding to cyberbullying, it keeps kids entertained and its free! Professor Garfield Cyberbullying
Ages 8-12
Stop Bullying Now!: A great interactive site with videos, games and quizzes. Stopbullyingnow.gov
Stop Bullying Now!: A great interactive site with videos, games and quizzes. Stopbullyingnow.gov
Ages 13+
A Thin Line: This website is created by MTV, it has some great tips, guides on online responsibility, also has a great support for kids dealing with cyber bullying. athinline.org
A Thin Line: This website is created by MTV, it has some great tips, guides on online responsibility, also has a great support for kids dealing with cyber bullying. athinline.org
Pacer Center’s Teens Against Bullying: Packed full of useful information for teens, looks slightly edgier, also has video clips from Demi Lovato and other teen idols. pacercentersteensagainstbullying.org
Thats Not Cool: Deals with a variety of issues from cyberbullying to sexting. Funny clips, a message board to give and receive advice, and Hilarious “call out cards”. thatsnotcool.com
Monday, April 2, 2012
Digital Citizenship For Teachers
Have you ever wondered what your digital footprint would look like if you were able to go back and look at everything you have ever done on the web? Well, your IP Address tracks everything that you have ever done on the web, every picture, every statement, every websites.
So as a teacher, we need to be very careful about what we are doing on the web. Every website, word, and picture can be tracked and googled back to us. It is so important that we also, as teachers, understand internet etiquette.
Internet etiquette is very important for everyone to understand and know how to use. We should not use all capital letters when typing a word, this can be viewed as yelling and being upset. We also should be aware that communicating over email, text messages, and other forms of digital writing are hard to understand because we cannot hear the voice of the speaker. It is important to use smiley faces and expressions so the reader can understand what you are saying and how you are saying it!
Teachers need to remember to be careful about the digital footprint you are leaving and also remember to use proper internet etiquette.
So as a teacher, we need to be very careful about what we are doing on the web. Every website, word, and picture can be tracked and googled back to us. It is so important that we also, as teachers, understand internet etiquette.
Internet etiquette is very important for everyone to understand and know how to use. We should not use all capital letters when typing a word, this can be viewed as yelling and being upset. We also should be aware that communicating over email, text messages, and other forms of digital writing are hard to understand because we cannot hear the voice of the speaker. It is important to use smiley faces and expressions so the reader can understand what you are saying and how you are saying it!
Teachers need to remember to be careful about the digital footprint you are leaving and also remember to use proper internet etiquette.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Learning with Technology
Using technology to enhance students learning is not a new concept. Teachers have been capable of creating ways to use technology for a while. Technology enhances student learning through a number of ways. One advantage is that you can use technology to enrich your lessons. Teachers and student can do more research on a topic and then present the information to the class. They can share information together and gain differing ideas and opinions. Technology can also be used to improve your presentation of the material to the class. It can gain attention and hold it better then just a simple speaker sharing information. Students are more interested in bright colors, cool graphics, then just the information being present. It helps the speaker communicate information.
The disadvantages of using technology and tools within the classroom, are that students may be just interested in the actual power point and means of presenting the information then the information itself. It might take away too much from the information. Students may also abuse the technology and tools used to enhance their learning. They may see the group discussion as a time to share inappropriate information. Students also might use the computer not for homework and the project but simply for surfing the web.
As educators, we have to be careful about how we present our information to our students. We need to use the web but we also need to use it to its best abilities and not as a simple fix it for teaching. We also need to be careful that we are teaching our students how to use the information properly. There is a fine line that we need to draw clearly as teachers in order for our students to know where their boundaries are, otherwise, they will continue to push the limits because they did not know how to rightly use the tools and technology given to them.
The disadvantages of using technology and tools within the classroom, are that students may be just interested in the actual power point and means of presenting the information then the information itself. It might take away too much from the information. Students may also abuse the technology and tools used to enhance their learning. They may see the group discussion as a time to share inappropriate information. Students also might use the computer not for homework and the project but simply for surfing the web.
As educators, we have to be careful about how we present our information to our students. We need to use the web but we also need to use it to its best abilities and not as a simple fix it for teaching. We also need to be careful that we are teaching our students how to use the information properly. There is a fine line that we need to draw clearly as teachers in order for our students to know where their boundaries are, otherwise, they will continue to push the limits because they did not know how to rightly use the tools and technology given to them.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Digital Citizenship
Digital Citizenship is how someone conducts themself with technology. It means that everyone should know how to handle and act online. However, does the things online follow the laws and standars we expect from people in public? Yes it does. There are laws about how you should act online. You cannot hack into other people's information, download illegal music, plagiarize, stalk, or bully.
It is important to teach standards about how to act online becuase we all should be held to a high standard; the same standard that you would expect from someone in a face to face situation should be the same standard we are held to in the cyber world. There is no difference between the two. As teachers, we first and foremost need to hold ourselves to higher standards. We need to watch how our facebooks, and social networking sites look to our students. We need to be their role models. This can also protect us from law suits and different things that can happen due to the internet. However, we have to remember that we do have freedom of speech and press. We are able to have a voice outside of the classroom. But we must remember that we need to be careful about how we are presenting ourselves to our students.
Another big factor is that our students need to see the right way of how to conduct themselves on the web. It is very important that they learn from us what is appropiate and what is not. Students need to be edcuated about how to protect themselves online. It is so important that we teach the students how to act online. We need to take the responsiblitiy for teaching our students about how to act online.
http://myfootprintsd.com/index.html
Here is a great website to help you understand how to use the web and how to help your students understand what is appropriate and what is not.
It is important to teach standards about how to act online becuase we all should be held to a high standard; the same standard that you would expect from someone in a face to face situation should be the same standard we are held to in the cyber world. There is no difference between the two. As teachers, we first and foremost need to hold ourselves to higher standards. We need to watch how our facebooks, and social networking sites look to our students. We need to be their role models. This can also protect us from law suits and different things that can happen due to the internet. However, we have to remember that we do have freedom of speech and press. We are able to have a voice outside of the classroom. But we must remember that we need to be careful about how we are presenting ourselves to our students.
Another big factor is that our students need to see the right way of how to conduct themselves on the web. It is very important that they learn from us what is appropiate and what is not. Students need to be edcuated about how to protect themselves online. It is so important that we teach the students how to act online. We need to take the responsiblitiy for teaching our students about how to act online.
http://myfootprintsd.com/index.html
Here is a great website to help you understand how to use the web and how to help your students understand what is appropriate and what is not.
Validity of the Internet?
The Internet is a wonderful source that provides different information for different topics. It provides communication from person to person in social networking. But how can we know if the source or site of the Internet is valid or true? Is there an Internet source that can be trusted and used without the public having to wonder about if it is valid?
To help us understand if the website itself is valid, ask yourself is the website open for public contribution. This would make the website less valid because the public contributions are not always true and accurate. It is important to read what you find on the Internet and compare it to a source that you either know is valid or is outside of the web.
Here is a website that can help you evaluate websites you are having concerns about.
http://www.philb.com/fakesites.htm
http://acoachma.tripod.com/
To help us understand if the website itself is valid, ask yourself is the website open for public contribution. This would make the website less valid because the public contributions are not always true and accurate. It is important to read what you find on the Internet and compare it to a source that you either know is valid or is outside of the web.
Here is a website that can help you evaluate websites you are having concerns about.
http://www.philb.com/fakesites.htm
http://acoachma.tripod.com/
Monday, February 20, 2012
Copyright and Fair Use
What does it mean in the classroom to use Copyright and Fair Use correctly? First we must understand what Copyright and Fair Use are. Copyright are items that we cannot use within the classroom without the permission of the author. Fair Use are the items in the classroom that we can use without permission. There are items that can be used within the classroom due to the fact that they are for nonprofit educational purpose.
So can how we apply this to the classroom? We need to model the correct use of Copyright and Fair Use for our students. If we do not model this for our students, how can we expect them to do the same? Any movie clips, music videos, and books need to ask the permisson of the author for use the items. Often times, people say, "What does it matter? Who is going to know?" As a Christian, it does matter. It is stealing to not gain permission from the orignial author. We need to stand out and be different on this topic. We need to hold ourselves to higher standards as educators and as Christians. It is such a stinky situation to put yourself in. My advice, when in doubt, sight it and/or gain permission! Better safe then sorry!
ASSURE Model
This last week in class, we talked about the ASSURE model for presenting media. By using this model, we can integrate technology into the curriculum and into the classroom. The first step is to Analyze learners. We need to understand who are students are. This step is important because keeping the students you are teaching in mind while planning your lesson will help you find the materials that will fit best for your students. The second step is to state objectives. The students need to know why we are using this material in the curriculum and what they are the outcomes they are to learn. Selecting media and materials is the next step. We need to know what method we want to use in presenting the content. Utilizing the material is the next step and goes hand in hand with selecting. This is where the lesson is taught. We need to also have a back up plan in case the media happens to not work.
The final two steps are what is done after the lesson is taught. Requiring learner participation is key. It is important to understand that learning through media cannot take place unless the students are actively participating in the content. The final step is to evaluate and revise. This is key because if we are planning to use this form of media again, we need to know what worked and what did not work. We will also know what engaged the students and if they learned through using the media.
Technology and media are important tools that we can use in our classrooms. However, we cannot assume that these tools are going to do the teaching for us. We need to implement into our lessons interactions and ways to assess students after the presentation or media clip. As a teacher, I believe that technology and media are means to help students learn. I do not believe that they are the end in and of themselves, but more so a means to an end. This end product being the learning of the content for the day!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Technology in Education
What do you feel about technology in education? Is technology necessary for teaching? The answer to these questions is yes. Technology is very important in education. Within the classroom, we use technology everyday. As teachers, we are using computers, ipads, macs, and overheads. We teach using notes from powerpoints and prezis. Technology is used for communication between teacher and teacher; grades and other student files are online and can be accessed through the computer.
Another benefit of technology in the classroom is that students can use it to learn in a variety of ways. Students can use the computers as an additional source for learning material. Technology can be used to help students who are struggling and need additional practice on certain topics. Some students also maybe more interested in a topic when it is online, with colors and kid friendly navigation of the site. Website help students who may have trouble communicating with other students. It is also great for enrichment for talented students.
There are many ways technology can be used in the classroom. It has become of great value. However, we need to make sure that we are not using technology as a cop out for not teaching are students. Giving students a computer does not automatically ensure that they are going to learn. Teachers need to be monitoring and ensuring that students stay on track. Technology is not a means in and of itself but it can be a means to the greater goal of helping students learn, no matter what their learning styles and needs are.
Another benefit of technology in the classroom is that students can use it to learn in a variety of ways. Students can use the computers as an additional source for learning material. Technology can be used to help students who are struggling and need additional practice on certain topics. Some students also maybe more interested in a topic when it is online, with colors and kid friendly navigation of the site. Website help students who may have trouble communicating with other students. It is also great for enrichment for talented students.
There are many ways technology can be used in the classroom. It has become of great value. However, we need to make sure that we are not using technology as a cop out for not teaching are students. Giving students a computer does not automatically ensure that they are going to learn. Teachers need to be monitoring and ensuring that students stay on track. Technology is not a means in and of itself but it can be a means to the greater goal of helping students learn, no matter what their learning styles and needs are.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Welcome bloggers!
Hello everyone! Welcome to my blog! My name is Rachel and over the next couple of months, I am going to be address topics that will be discussed in class. I am very excited about learning more about technology. I am unsure of my feelings toward technolgy as a whole. Sometimes I wonder if we, as a society, have ever stopped to ask ourselves if the progress of technolgy should be accepted and not questioned. As a future educator, I have often stopped and wondered if we are taking the right steps toward more technolgy. The answer to this question I hope to uncover over the course of this class.
Anyways, I thought before we go too much farther that it would be nice to tell you a little about myself. I am a senior as Grace University in the teacher Education program. I will be graduating in the spring and am very excited. The reason why I wanted to become a teacher is that I believe the furture of our nation and morals and beliefs lie in the hands of the children. I want to educate these children and help mold and shape them. I also really am interested in being a stay at home mom once I have children. I hope to possibly homeschool them if that would be the Lord's will. If I have my degree in teacher education, there would not be any question as if I was qualified or not!
Anyways, I thought before we go too much farther that it would be nice to tell you a little about myself. I am a senior as Grace University in the teacher Education program. I will be graduating in the spring and am very excited. The reason why I wanted to become a teacher is that I believe the furture of our nation and morals and beliefs lie in the hands of the children. I want to educate these children and help mold and shape them. I also really am interested in being a stay at home mom once I have children. I hope to possibly homeschool them if that would be the Lord's will. If I have my degree in teacher education, there would not be any question as if I was qualified or not!
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