http://www.learner.org/jnorth/mclass/
http://www.xtranormal.com/
I observed in a 5th grade technology class this afternoon and thought everybody might like to see the really fun and educational projects they were working on! Both of these sites are free, so go in and play around with them. The students loved it, and you'll have fun with them too!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
More on Social Net-working
My cooperating teacher emailed me this link this morning. Check out the article. I think it will scare some professionals away from social net-working sites. http://www.nea.org/home/12784.htm
Saturday, April 25, 2009
CLRN
I signed up with CLRN not really understanding what it was. I went back later on and investigated the site further to find that it will be a wonderful resource for me as I begin my teaching career. With all the information available on the Internet it is hard to gauge what sites are reputable and accurate. Using CLRN to assess electronic resources before using them with a class will help to ensure that the information I'm sharing with the students is accurate and appropriate. I spent quite a bit of time going through the many features of the site, and I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface. I would have found CLRN overwhelming and confusing, but the tutorials about how to search for specific information were very helpful. Like all of the educational websites we've learned about during this course, I'm happy to know that such a resource exists for teachers.
Technology Enhanced Lesson Plan
When I first started my student teaching I stressed over writing lesson plans so much that it could have possibly scared me away from teaching all together. Once I got into it and learned the format and how to word the different sections better, it got much easier. Writing lesson plans is now just a minor chore. The lesson plan I wrote, introducing the human skeleton to fourth grade students, easily lent itself to incorporating some technology. I absolutely love using Brain Pop with this age level, so I showed the video about the human skeleton, as well as one about bones, when teaching this lesson. The quizzes at the end of the videos are a great way to reinforce the subject matter, so I went through the questions with the students aloud, afterward. I also used an overhead projector in my lesson plan, but during this lesson was the only time I had ever used one. There are better tools, such as smartboards, that have made the overhead projector obsolete.
The students definitely appreciate it when technology is incorporated into a lesson. Brain Pop is always a big hit in the class I student teach for, as well as movies, and video clips. I've watched the students in Technology class, enjoying every minute of creating Power Point presentations, exploring educational websites, and using Kidspiration. Today's students are so comfortable and familiar with using computers and many other forms of technology. Using technology in the classroom will make the learning environment one that the students can relate to and can really thrive in. In order to keep them engaged, teachers need to keep including new advances in technology into their lesson plans.
The students definitely appreciate it when technology is incorporated into a lesson. Brain Pop is always a big hit in the class I student teach for, as well as movies, and video clips. I've watched the students in Technology class, enjoying every minute of creating Power Point presentations, exploring educational websites, and using Kidspiration. Today's students are so comfortable and familiar with using computers and many other forms of technology. Using technology in the classroom will make the learning environment one that the students can relate to and can really thrive in. In order to keep them engaged, teachers need to keep including new advances in technology into their lesson plans.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Social Networking
I am really not all that thrilled about people's social lives primarily being conducted over the Internet rather than face-to-face. Without human contact, people will lose touch with reality. Everyone sitting in their own little room staring at a screen all day is creepy and it makes me sad. I realize social networking is a way to communicate and stay in touch with large groups of people, but there is something not quite right about living life on the Internet as many people seem to do.
When someone creates a web page using a social networking web site such as face book or my space, they can make themselves out to be anyone they want. All you can know about someone you are "friends" with on the Internet is what they tell you, whether it is true or not. You can not really get to know someone until you spend quality face time with them. Communicating via the Internet does not allow true personalities and feelings to come through. Without hearing the tone of someone's voice or watching their body language, you do not get to fully know and understand a person.
Obviously there are some very good uses for social networking sites. My band has a my space account to spread the word about shows and allow people to listen to samples of our music. Businesses advertise using social networking sites, and people can be reunited with old friends they have lost touch with. For these reasons and many others, social networking is a great tool.
It is when people become obsessed with updating their pages and posting every thought that ever crossed their mind that I start to feel uneasy about the popularity of social networking sites.
The fact that employers and strangers can have access to your private life and can find things out about you that were never meant to be shared, really bothers me. Instead of someone putting their personal life out there for all to see, they should go out and meet real live people and share common interests and activities outside in the real world. This way they can share the right information with the right people. For safety and out of self-respect, no one should indiscriminately share all of their personal information with everyone.
I fear people will lose much of what makes them human if they become too dependent on computers. If someone only learns to make friends and have relationships at a distance over the Internet, they will be missing out on human contact, and with it, much of the beauty and joy of life. Social networking is a wonderful tool but it is being completely over-used and abused to the detriment of the human race.
When someone creates a web page using a social networking web site such as face book or my space, they can make themselves out to be anyone they want. All you can know about someone you are "friends" with on the Internet is what they tell you, whether it is true or not. You can not really get to know someone until you spend quality face time with them. Communicating via the Internet does not allow true personalities and feelings to come through. Without hearing the tone of someone's voice or watching their body language, you do not get to fully know and understand a person.
Obviously there are some very good uses for social networking sites. My band has a my space account to spread the word about shows and allow people to listen to samples of our music. Businesses advertise using social networking sites, and people can be reunited with old friends they have lost touch with. For these reasons and many others, social networking is a great tool.
It is when people become obsessed with updating their pages and posting every thought that ever crossed their mind that I start to feel uneasy about the popularity of social networking sites.
The fact that employers and strangers can have access to your private life and can find things out about you that were never meant to be shared, really bothers me. Instead of someone putting their personal life out there for all to see, they should go out and meet real live people and share common interests and activities outside in the real world. This way they can share the right information with the right people. For safety and out of self-respect, no one should indiscriminately share all of their personal information with everyone.
I fear people will lose much of what makes them human if they become too dependent on computers. If someone only learns to make friends and have relationships at a distance over the Internet, they will be missing out on human contact, and with it, much of the beauty and joy of life. Social networking is a wonderful tool but it is being completely over-used and abused to the detriment of the human race.
Module 8-9 Videos
The first video about the introduction to the book was silly, but it did make a good point about the challenges people face when learning how to become technologically savvy. People need to make an effort to learn how to utilize new tools. Even though we may want to give up when struggling to figure out how to use new inventions, and we may be tempted to stick to what is old and familiar rather than spend the time needed to learn to use something new, keeping up with advances in technology is extremely important. People would not be where they are today if they didn't focus on learning and improving the tools we use for day-to-day life.
The panda video about Cyber-bullying was adorable. It would be an effective video to show to younger students to prepare them for a social life spent on the Internet. Since kids are becoming computer literate at such a young age, it is important to prepare them for life lessons they will learn on the computer as well as in real life. The video had an easy to understand lesson about bullying and would be helpful to students who may be teased and upset by things people write about them on personal web pages or in chats.
The students interviewed in the third video, about social networking, seemed to know a lot about safely posting personal information on their my space and face book pages. The animated portion of the video was well-done and sparked some good points, but I thought the live student responses and advice were especially effective. Showing this video to older students would be very helpful in teaching them what to keep in mind before they post certain personal things on their web pages. I liked that they brought up the important topic of employers viewing your web pages before hiring you. That information will make young people think twice before posting photos or stories that may paint an unflattering picture of who they are to prospective employers.
The last video, about teaching special needs students how to use computers and the Internet, offered insight as to the importance of making sure that special needs students do not get left behind with regards to technology education. In order to be a working member of society these days, a person needs to have knowledge of how to perform basic tasks using computers. For special needs students to land jobs as adults, it is necessary for them to have an education in technology equal to that of other students. The teacher interviewed in the video seemed inspired and got her important message across. I agree that special needs students should be trained in technology and should be prepared for life in the real world in the same ways that regular education students are trained and prepared.
The panda video about Cyber-bullying was adorable. It would be an effective video to show to younger students to prepare them for a social life spent on the Internet. Since kids are becoming computer literate at such a young age, it is important to prepare them for life lessons they will learn on the computer as well as in real life. The video had an easy to understand lesson about bullying and would be helpful to students who may be teased and upset by things people write about them on personal web pages or in chats.
The students interviewed in the third video, about social networking, seemed to know a lot about safely posting personal information on their my space and face book pages. The animated portion of the video was well-done and sparked some good points, but I thought the live student responses and advice were especially effective. Showing this video to older students would be very helpful in teaching them what to keep in mind before they post certain personal things on their web pages. I liked that they brought up the important topic of employers viewing your web pages before hiring you. That information will make young people think twice before posting photos or stories that may paint an unflattering picture of who they are to prospective employers.
The last video, about teaching special needs students how to use computers and the Internet, offered insight as to the importance of making sure that special needs students do not get left behind with regards to technology education. In order to be a working member of society these days, a person needs to have knowledge of how to perform basic tasks using computers. For special needs students to land jobs as adults, it is necessary for them to have an education in technology equal to that of other students. The teacher interviewed in the video seemed inspired and got her important message across. I agree that special needs students should be trained in technology and should be prepared for life in the real world in the same ways that regular education students are trained and prepared.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
School Web Pages
I took a close look at each school's web site in the district where I am currently student teaching. They are all designed a little differently, but contain the same basic information. The things they all have in common are that the links are layed out in neat, easy to read menu lists, the fonts are a good size and easy to read, and the background colors are calm and easy on the eyes. Each site also includes a link to all the teacher web sites for the school's faculty.
I definitely like that most teachers now have a web page. It is important to help keep parents and students informed. I think it must save teachers some frustration too. By posting announcements and assignments on a web page where everyone can check it at their leisure, parents and students won't need to ask the teachers the same questions repeatedly. I found that the teachers working at the school I am at have wonderful web sites with great information and a variety of interesting layouts. The district has a subscription to TeacherWeb, and all members of the faculty are required to maintain a web page. I was comforted to see that most of the teachers post their assignments weekly, because that is what I thought I would like to do. They all have disclaimers about the assignments being subject to change too! Other things I saw posted that I thought were good ideas were schedules, calendars, and upcoming class activities and school events.
Based on what I've seen on other teacher's web pages, I have figured out how I want my web page to look, and what I want it to include. Unfortunately the Scholastic web page builder will no longer allow me to do anything. After many tries, it finally allowed me to log in so that I could try to edit some sections. Each time I click on anything, it sends me right back to the log in page. Is this happening to anyone else? It would be nice to have a free site to help me build a web page, but if it doesn't work, it is not at all helpful. Hopefully I can get it working and finish this project, but I do not plan on ever using Scholastic again. Hopefully whatever district I eventually work for will have a subscription to something much better. If they do not, I will gladly pay my own subscription to TeacherWeb so that I do not have to deal with this frustration again.
I definitely like that most teachers now have a web page. It is important to help keep parents and students informed. I think it must save teachers some frustration too. By posting announcements and assignments on a web page where everyone can check it at their leisure, parents and students won't need to ask the teachers the same questions repeatedly. I found that the teachers working at the school I am at have wonderful web sites with great information and a variety of interesting layouts. The district has a subscription to TeacherWeb, and all members of the faculty are required to maintain a web page. I was comforted to see that most of the teachers post their assignments weekly, because that is what I thought I would like to do. They all have disclaimers about the assignments being subject to change too! Other things I saw posted that I thought were good ideas were schedules, calendars, and upcoming class activities and school events.
Based on what I've seen on other teacher's web pages, I have figured out how I want my web page to look, and what I want it to include. Unfortunately the Scholastic web page builder will no longer allow me to do anything. After many tries, it finally allowed me to log in so that I could try to edit some sections. Each time I click on anything, it sends me right back to the log in page. Is this happening to anyone else? It would be nice to have a free site to help me build a web page, but if it doesn't work, it is not at all helpful. Hopefully I can get it working and finish this project, but I do not plan on ever using Scholastic again. Hopefully whatever district I eventually work for will have a subscription to something much better. If they do not, I will gladly pay my own subscription to TeacherWeb so that I do not have to deal with this frustration again.
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