December 5, 2007
Reflection
It's hard to believe that the end of the semester is already here. I am very glad I chose to take this course because I learned a lot. I am grateful have been exposed to so many different types of free technological resources that I can utilize in my future classroom. I now feel more confident and comfortable navigating technology and programs on the Internet. I would highly recommend this course to other teacher education candidates especially before they progress into their internship year. I really liked the set-up of the course and Joe was a great instructor. He really helped us learn how to find information and pro-active strategies that will enable us to continue the educational process even after the course is over.
October 31, 2007
Collaborative Applications
This was our last week to be introduced to new technologies. As the semester comes to a close we will be focusing more on developing our individual plans to integrate technology into our classrooms during our internship experience. Some of the different collaborative applications we discussed included Wikis, Google Docs, and Skype. Each application has strengths and weaknesses, so depending on what you are trying to accomplish will determine which is the best fit for your particular project.
Wikis are web pages that anyone can update or add to they are a useful resource in the classroom in order to keep everything organized, for example, we use a wiki in class to easily link to all of the assignments we have completed. Google Docs allow for presentations to become interactive and viewable by a variety of people regardless of the physical distance between them. Skype is an Internet phone service that allows people to easily communicate across the country or across continents.
Personally, I can see myself utilizing Google Docs the most out of all of the applications because it would allow immediate feedback and questions from my students while I was presenting a particular topic. It would also allow the students to comment on each others thoughts in a low pressure environment instead of raising their hand in front of the entire class.
Wikis are web pages that anyone can update or add to they are a useful resource in the classroom in order to keep everything organized, for example, we use a wiki in class to easily link to all of the assignments we have completed. Google Docs allow for presentations to become interactive and viewable by a variety of people regardless of the physical distance between them. Skype is an Internet phone service that allows people to easily communicate across the country or across continents.
Personally, I can see myself utilizing Google Docs the most out of all of the applications because it would allow immediate feedback and questions from my students while I was presenting a particular topic. It would also allow the students to comment on each others thoughts in a low pressure environment instead of raising their hand in front of the entire class.
October 24, 2007
Mock Interviews
Today's class was a change of pace but a very valuable experience. We gathered in a conference room and held a large group interview. Joe had a list of questions prepared and each student in the class had the opportunity to answer a question and receive immediate feedback. It was a helpful experience because it simulated a potentially stressful situation, and provided us with constructive feedback. I now have a much better idea of how to successfully prepare for an interview and the confidence to calm my nerves during the actual interview process. Joe also made us an excellent dinner-thank you very much! It was very useful to practice possible ways we can articulate different technologies we are learning about in class to prospective employers.
October 17, 2007
Podcasting
Today we explored adding sound through the use of podcasts. There are many useful applications for podcasts in K-12 education. Some examples include:
-supporting language development (practice for both ESL students as well as students trying to learn a foreign language)
-literacy enhancement (book talks, discussions, and reviews)
-recording class discussions that students can listen to for additional review or to catch up if they missed class
Podcasts can also be used to creatively enhance group projects for any subject. Allows the teacher to assess students' understanding, as well as, accommodating students who are better at expressing their ideas verbally rather than in writing.
From personal experience in my college classes I found it very helpful to have lectures recorded as mp3 files that I could access off Angel because it helped me take notes and refresh my memory of specific examples used in class before an exam. I am a much more visual learner so being able to listen to the same lecture more than once really helped me process and learn the information.
Here is a link to a segment of our class podcast about our ideas for our Tech Integration Plans.
-supporting language development (practice for both ESL students as well as students trying to learn a foreign language)
-literacy enhancement (book talks, discussions, and reviews)
-recording class discussions that students can listen to for additional review or to catch up if they missed class
Podcasts can also be used to creatively enhance group projects for any subject. Allows the teacher to assess students' understanding, as well as, accommodating students who are better at expressing their ideas verbally rather than in writing.
From personal experience in my college classes I found it very helpful to have lectures recorded as mp3 files that I could access off Angel because it helped me take notes and refresh my memory of specific examples used in class before an exam. I am a much more visual learner so being able to listen to the same lecture more than once really helped me process and learn the information.
Here is a link to a segment of our class podcast about our ideas for our Tech Integration Plans.
More Images
I placed a creative commons license on my blog, and set up a Flickr account to store my pictures. I also searched for a picture of my favorite flower: gerber daisies, using FlickrCC and posted it to my blog in order to provide myself with more practice in properly using and citing images from the web. I have learned that all images are fully copyrighted unless otherwise noted, and I was never exposed to the proper way to attribute an image until this class. I have been googling images then copying and pasting them into various presentations and projects without ever thinking twice about properly documenting where I got the image from.This means that in the future I will be more careful about where I copy images from, as well as, the way I document the source of the image. I think this may pose a challenge to students in lower elementary because they would not understand the intricacies of the copyright laws. I think older students would be interested to learn that there is a process for citing images just like if information from a book is used in a paper.
I think it would be a positive learning experience for students although probably not something they will be thrilled about actually having to complete everytime they use an image from the Internet. Overall, I think it will take a lot of practice before I am comfortable with this process of attribution for images from the Web.
Photo Attribution:
Original image: "Gerber Daisies"
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/37/76726538_387278175a_m.jpg
by: QuiteLucid
October 10, 2007
Adding Images
During class we practiced properly adding images so the sources are clearly cited and we are not infringing on anyone's copyright to their images. The picture on the left is from Professor Freidhoff's Flickr account: Erickson Hall on campus where our class meets!
October 9, 2007
Organizing the Internet
During class last week we covered different ways the Internet can be organized, and information can be easily shared with others. There are many professional as well as personal applications I can see for the organizational tools we discussed. The first was Google Calendar which allows you to create multiple calendars, combine them, import information from other public calendars, and choose which ones you would like to make public. Secondly, we discussed social bookmarking. I set up a del.icio.us account that allows me to keep all of my useful web resources in one location, as well as, access them from anywhere and share them easily with others. It is also easy to organize all of the resources with labeling so they are easy to find.
These tools will help me personally organize the professional links I currently have for teaching in addition to providing an easy format to add to in the future. I think this would also be a neat tool to use in the classroom for students performing research so that they can keep all of the links for a particular topic in one place and the teacher could easily check the validity of the sources being used. It would also be helpful for students assigned to work on a group project.
I know from personal experience my mom, who is a teacher, would really like to use a tool like this because she is always forgetting web addresses that she has bookmarked on our home computer when she is working at school.
Calendars are another indispensable tool for teachers, students, and parents because everyone is very busy, and at least in my family, trying to keep up with several different schedules can be overwhelming. It is also easy to misplace paper copies of newsletters and keep them up to date, so if a teacher is using a classroom calendar through Google information can be easily added or changed as necessary and easily viewed by parents. Personally I love keeping detailed calendars because it helps me to plan my time in advance, as well as, making sure I don't forget anything important.
These tools will help me personally organize the professional links I currently have for teaching in addition to providing an easy format to add to in the future. I think this would also be a neat tool to use in the classroom for students performing research so that they can keep all of the links for a particular topic in one place and the teacher could easily check the validity of the sources being used. It would also be helpful for students assigned to work on a group project.
I know from personal experience my mom, who is a teacher, would really like to use a tool like this because she is always forgetting web addresses that she has bookmarked on our home computer when she is working at school.
Calendars are another indispensable tool for teachers, students, and parents because everyone is very busy, and at least in my family, trying to keep up with several different schedules can be overwhelming. It is also easy to misplace paper copies of newsletters and keep them up to date, so if a teacher is using a classroom calendar through Google information can be easily added or changed as necessary and easily viewed by parents. Personally I love keeping detailed calendars because it helps me to plan my time in advance, as well as, making sure I don't forget anything important.
September 30, 2007
COE Technology Conference
Yesterday I attended the 24th Annual Teaching and Technology Conference. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from the conference, but it was a very informative and beneficial experience.
The first session I attended in the morning was Interactivity in the Classroom. Four students who are currently completing their internship who received COURTT grants demonstrated the different types of technology they are implementing into their lessons. Including: SMARTBoards, Movie Makers, Video recorders, PowerPoint, and several of applications developed by Apple (iMovie, Garage Band, iWeb, and Comic Life). I think all of the presenters had really good ideas that will be fun for their students and lead to many positive and engaging learning experiences. I especially liked the versatility of using voice recorders for projects across all subjects, and think that if districts are able to afford SMARTBoards that they will be an excellent resource for teachers committed to incorporating technology in their lessons.
The second session I attended in the morning was Technology Integration in Science and Math Classes. I chose this session because I have a strong interest in science and was interested to see how current interns are incorporating technology into their science and math lessons. All of the interns presenting are currently in elementary schools and using software and online sites to provide simulations and resources for their students. Going beyond the textbook in order to make their lessons more interesting and engaging for students. One intern also discussed her plan to use a wireless airport to bring the Internet into the classroom to be utilized for group projects, extra practice, and more in-depth exploration of a topic of interest. I enjoyed hearing all of their ideas. I also thought it was good that they paid close attention to the content standards and benchmarks for their given grade level when deciding their objective for the lesson, and then applying or adapting the technology to help them achieve that objective.
The third session I attended was a presentation about Online Professional Development and Michigan Learnport, an excellent on-line resource for teachers interested in completing professional development courses over the Internet. With my subscription there is also a wonderful search engine designed specifically to fit teachers needs because you are able to search for lesson plans based on subject and age. I really liked the presenter. She was very informative and was able to share a lot of personal experiences with the audience.
I also chose to attend an afternoon session entitled Digital Photography in the Classroom. I was interested in this particular session because I love documenting events in my life through pictures and since purchasing a digital camera about a year ago I'm still not real comfortable using it. The first part of the session was meant to help us understand the different functions and settings on our camera, as well as, when it is best to use the different settings. This was a lot of fun because we got to experiment with our cameras each of the techniques he was explaining. The second half of the workshop was outlining a variety of ways that photography can be used in the classroom. The wonderful part is that activities can be adapted to fit every grade level as well as every subject area. Pictures can convey so much more meaning than words alone, and we live in such a highly visual society that I believe it is important for students to have lots of exposure to photographs throughout their education.
I think it was a big advantage to be enrolled in CEP 416 at the same time I was attending the conference because I didn't feel overwhelmed with information, and I had heard of most of the technologies being presented so I could easily keep up with all of the presenters as they tried to pack a lot of information into a short amount of time.
The first session I attended in the morning was Interactivity in the Classroom. Four students who are currently completing their internship who received COURTT grants demonstrated the different types of technology they are implementing into their lessons. Including: SMARTBoards, Movie Makers, Video recorders, PowerPoint, and several of applications developed by Apple (iMovie, Garage Band, iWeb, and Comic Life). I think all of the presenters had really good ideas that will be fun for their students and lead to many positive and engaging learning experiences. I especially liked the versatility of using voice recorders for projects across all subjects, and think that if districts are able to afford SMARTBoards that they will be an excellent resource for teachers committed to incorporating technology in their lessons.
The second session I attended in the morning was Technology Integration in Science and Math Classes. I chose this session because I have a strong interest in science and was interested to see how current interns are incorporating technology into their science and math lessons. All of the interns presenting are currently in elementary schools and using software and online sites to provide simulations and resources for their students. Going beyond the textbook in order to make their lessons more interesting and engaging for students. One intern also discussed her plan to use a wireless airport to bring the Internet into the classroom to be utilized for group projects, extra practice, and more in-depth exploration of a topic of interest. I enjoyed hearing all of their ideas. I also thought it was good that they paid close attention to the content standards and benchmarks for their given grade level when deciding their objective for the lesson, and then applying or adapting the technology to help them achieve that objective.
The third session I attended was a presentation about Online Professional Development and Michigan Learnport, an excellent on-line resource for teachers interested in completing professional development courses over the Internet. With my subscription there is also a wonderful search engine designed specifically to fit teachers needs because you are able to search for lesson plans based on subject and age. I really liked the presenter. She was very informative and was able to share a lot of personal experiences with the audience.
I also chose to attend an afternoon session entitled Digital Photography in the Classroom. I was interested in this particular session because I love documenting events in my life through pictures and since purchasing a digital camera about a year ago I'm still not real comfortable using it. The first part of the session was meant to help us understand the different functions and settings on our camera, as well as, when it is best to use the different settings. This was a lot of fun because we got to experiment with our cameras each of the techniques he was explaining. The second half of the workshop was outlining a variety of ways that photography can be used in the classroom. The wonderful part is that activities can be adapted to fit every grade level as well as every subject area. Pictures can convey so much more meaning than words alone, and we live in such a highly visual society that I believe it is important for students to have lots of exposure to photographs throughout their education.
I think it was a big advantage to be enrolled in CEP 416 at the same time I was attending the conference because I didn't feel overwhelmed with information, and I had heard of most of the technologies being presented so I could easily keep up with all of the presenters as they tried to pack a lot of information into a short amount of time.
September 29, 2007
Personalizing the Internet
Last week's class was really interesting because I was introduced to several new features through Google that allow me to personalize the information I want to retrieve from the Internet.
Google Alert
One of the tools explored was Google Alert that allows you to set up an e-mail notification for a topic or phrase of your choice. Google will then send you an e-mail as often as you specify informing you of the current web resources from their search relating to your topic. For example, my topic is "elementary science experiments" because I am very interested in teaching science through a hands-on approach that integrates with the rest of the curriculum. So once a week, I get an e-mail listing websites that contain information about science experiments in the elementary setting. I think this is very helpful for me as an educator because it cuts down on the time I have to spend searching for relevant material and resources. I can see how this feature would be very helpful for teachers in their quest to keep up with the latest developments in their areas of interest. I think it would also be useful in an older elementary classroom to show kids a different approach to searching the Internet.
Google Reader (aggregator account)
This feature allows you to subscribe to the RSS feed provided by many websites, and therefore easily track updates for your favorite websites. My account allows me to easily see who has updated information on their blogs for the CEP course all in one place without having to individually check each blog. This would also be a helpful feature to utilize as a future teacher because it allows you to see when sites are updated in an organized and efficient manner. This saves the teacher time and energy, as well as, make sure your students have the most up to date information. Following a currently developing news story as a class could be easily done, tracking updates on a particular unit topic especially in science because new ideas are constantly being introduced. And if each student in the class had a blog this would provide a way for them to easily check for updates.
iGoogle
This was my favorite feature from this week. iGoogle allows you to choose content to add to a personalized web page with the famous Google search bar at the top. I set up a personalized home page for myself complete with a beach theme. This is a very nice feature because when I check my home page in the morning I can see the local weather, my calendar, news, whether or not I have new emails, and a quote of the day all on one page. There are endless other possibilities to content to add as well such as games, YouTube videos, recipes, etc. This is something I think would be very helpful to show my students even if it cannot be directly applied in the classroom because it provides a way to condense the vast amount of information available on the Internet.
All of the features this week are very helpful tools to be able to use when searching the Internet. Its amazing how much information is available at your finger tips and the above mentioned tools are just a couple of ways you can personalize the information.
Google Alert
One of the tools explored was Google Alert that allows you to set up an e-mail notification for a topic or phrase of your choice. Google will then send you an e-mail as often as you specify informing you of the current web resources from their search relating to your topic. For example, my topic is "elementary science experiments" because I am very interested in teaching science through a hands-on approach that integrates with the rest of the curriculum. So once a week, I get an e-mail listing websites that contain information about science experiments in the elementary setting. I think this is very helpful for me as an educator because it cuts down on the time I have to spend searching for relevant material and resources. I can see how this feature would be very helpful for teachers in their quest to keep up with the latest developments in their areas of interest. I think it would also be useful in an older elementary classroom to show kids a different approach to searching the Internet.
Google Reader (aggregator account)
This feature allows you to subscribe to the RSS feed provided by many websites, and therefore easily track updates for your favorite websites. My account allows me to easily see who has updated information on their blogs for the CEP course all in one place without having to individually check each blog. This would also be a helpful feature to utilize as a future teacher because it allows you to see when sites are updated in an organized and efficient manner. This saves the teacher time and energy, as well as, make sure your students have the most up to date information. Following a currently developing news story as a class could be easily done, tracking updates on a particular unit topic especially in science because new ideas are constantly being introduced. And if each student in the class had a blog this would provide a way for them to easily check for updates.
iGoogle
This was my favorite feature from this week. iGoogle allows you to choose content to add to a personalized web page with the famous Google search bar at the top. I set up a personalized home page for myself complete with a beach theme. This is a very nice feature because when I check my home page in the morning I can see the local weather, my calendar, news, whether or not I have new emails, and a quote of the day all on one page. There are endless other possibilities to content to add as well such as games, YouTube videos, recipes, etc. This is something I think would be very helpful to show my students even if it cannot be directly applied in the classroom because it provides a way to condense the vast amount of information available on the Internet.
All of the features this week are very helpful tools to be able to use when searching the Internet. Its amazing how much information is available at your finger tips and the above mentioned tools are just a couple of ways you can personalize the information.
September 18, 2007
My Portfolio
I have successfully laid the framework for my on-line portfolio!
I want my portfolio to be a reflection of my personal style, experiences in education, and skills utilizing technology in order to easily share information with students, colleagues, family and friends.
I like the layout of my portfolio because it is simple, colorful, and easy to read. The structure of my portfolio will help me achieve my goals because items are organized, clearly labeled and all in one location. I will be continuously revising my portfolio to reflect my most current experiences. I also look forward to condensing all of the useful resources I have accumulated through four years of education classes into one centralized, easy to find location.
It is most definitely a work in progress, but I think it will be a great learning experience for me working towards the finished project.
Wish me luck!
I want my portfolio to be a reflection of my personal style, experiences in education, and skills utilizing technology in order to easily share information with students, colleagues, family and friends.
I like the layout of my portfolio because it is simple, colorful, and easy to read. The structure of my portfolio will help me achieve my goals because items are organized, clearly labeled and all in one location. I will be continuously revising my portfolio to reflect my most current experiences. I also look forward to condensing all of the useful resources I have accumulated through four years of education classes into one centralized, easy to find location.
It is most definitely a work in progress, but I think it will be a great learning experience for me working towards the finished project.
Wish me luck!
September 5, 2007
First Day!
Hello!
So far I have been able to successfully navigate through Blogger and post this message. Setting up an account was very quick and easy, and I am very confident that a class of fifth graders would be able to do it even more quickly. I can see how blogs could be a very useful resource for students working together on a group project.
When I'm not in class I enjoy spending time outdoors. I have always enjoyed playing sports and I am currently a member of the women's ultimate frisbee club team here at State. For anyone who has never heard of it before it is a 7 on 7 team sport that is very easy to learn and I highly recommend trying it. There is an organization called the Ultimate Player's Association that governs the rules of the game and is a source for outreach for the sport as well as a good resource for finding tournaments near where you live.
So far I have been able to successfully navigate through Blogger and post this message. Setting up an account was very quick and easy, and I am very confident that a class of fifth graders would be able to do it even more quickly. I can see how blogs could be a very useful resource for students working together on a group project.
When I'm not in class I enjoy spending time outdoors. I have always enjoyed playing sports and I am currently a member of the women's ultimate frisbee club team here at State. For anyone who has never heard of it before it is a 7 on 7 team sport that is very easy to learn and I highly recommend trying it. There is an organization called the Ultimate Player's Association that governs the rules of the game and is a source for outreach for the sport as well as a good resource for finding tournaments near where you live.
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