Monday, July 25, 2011

About Me Classroom Survey

By using google forms, a free tool that can be accessed through google, I was able to create a survey with different styles of questions or fill in the blanks. After the survey was how I wanted it, I was able to set a them to make it visually pleasing. After the survey is taken, I am able to access the results. Creating this About me classroom survey using google forms allows me to meet NETS-T standard 2.Design and Develop Digital-Age learning experiences and assessments.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Journal 5 (extra credit)

Duncan, A. (2011). Harness the power of technology.Learning and Leading, 38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx


Duncan's article "Harness the power of technology" discusses how current teachers are teaching in the midst of a technological revolution. Just as we use technology for many other reasons, it can also be used in the classroom as an effective method for teaching. The article focuses on a few key points in regards to technology in education. One of these points is how technology engages students. It points out that by using technology to engage students educators can encourage students who may previously not be interested in reading may become interested if they are told to use the internet to search they may find a new way to become interested in the reading assignment. The advantages of technology in education are being recognized and the U.S. department of education has suggested that a program is established which will pursue and promote the use of technology in classrooms. the article does point out that we must not forget that students take advantage from both teacher instruction and technology, and one does not take place of the other. The article also discusses 5 goals to advance education technology. These five goals are Learning, Assessment, teaching, infrastructure and productivity.


1. Is it important to have an outline of five goals to meet?


I think that having an outline with five goals to meet is very helpful for both the teacher and the student. The teacher is assisted in knowing what areas to focus on and ways in which they can be most helpful in those areas and the students can know what expectation they are to meet. Along with this it prepares the teacher to make sure that they are fully prepared to incorporate the technology correctly. If there is a specific area in which they in which they have questions or feel they need preparation in, then they know what to work on, and therefore can better help their students.


2. What are some ways I see myself making sure that my students are receiving a balance of both teacher and technology based instruction?


I think that a balance of of technology and actual teacher instruction is absolutely crucial. I feel that by doing this, you are truly giving the students the best educational experience. One way in which I can see myself doing this is simply splitting up lessons so that while I teach them, technology is incorporated. For example whole teaching a history lesson I could give a lesson and lecture or discussion and incorporate something like augmented reality as I learned about in another article.







journal 4

Courduff, J. (2011). June/july. Learning and Leading,38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx


In "One size never fits all"' Courduff addresses an important topic. While we can all now recognize the importance of technology in the classroom today, and may even feel comfortable with most technology, that doesn't always mean we know how to apply it to teaching correctly. Courduff points out her findings of this to especially true of students on specialized academic instruction or students with Individualized Education Plans (IEP). She discusses the manner in which teachers learn how to do apply technology in a way which can help these students to achieve their goals and perform better. She cites examples of how the use of technology has aided in helping students with special needs succeed. Two of the examples mention the use of a voice assisted word processing program which allows for the computer to translate voice to text and also for the computer to translate text to voice. These are just a few of the many ways technology can be used in an educational setting, and are examples of how if used correctly with the proper training can be a useful tool.


Though many claim to be technologically capable is it important for even these people to go through training to learn to teach it correctly?


I think it is absolutely important. As it states in the article, just because you may know how to do something well yourself, does not mean that you have the ability to teach it at various skill sets and attention levels. When you are a teacher one of your greatest responsibilities is being able to accommodate every student. In order to do so it important to gain the correct knowledge for each and every situation. For example, a teacher may have mastery of a specific computer program but if they have not learned how to properly break it down into a way in which a child with a specific IEP can understand then both the teacher and student are losing out. The teacher is not able to help the student, and the student is not being helped.


Is the use of too much technology, such as voice to text tools taking away from learning in the classroom?


This is very difficult question to answer. While I think no matter how much technology there is in the world, there is no substitute for teacher and student interaction, that doesn't mean technology is taking away from learning in the classroom. I just think it needs to be used in the correct manner. For example, using the tool of voice to text for a student who is not comfortable with translating thought to words on paper can increase their confidence in the possibility of it happening, as well as providing a model of how it should be, using their very own thoughts. Overall i think in moderation and correct use technology does not take away from learning in the classroom. It adds to it.



Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Journal 3

Raphael, R. (2011). Abracadabra!--it's augmented reality!. Learning and Leading, 38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx


The article "Abracadabra-It's Augmented Reality!" written by Raphael Raphael discusses the fact that technology has progressed so much that something called augmented reality or "AR" now exists. In this augmented reality, through the internet we are able to see things in ways we never have been able to before. The article also discusses how this recent technological advance is something that is slowly starting to find its place in education, and the author seems to believe that this is rightfully so. He states that he believes that education is in fact the best place for the use of augmented reality as it empowers the student. Some examples cited are a create your own pop up book, or creating narratives which are accompanied by digital creations. Furthermore, the potential for the technology is only growing and it is projected that in the near future, augmented reality will be showing up on mobile apps, social networks, virtual desktops, and used in virtual training. As augmented reality improves, then so does its potential to be used in an educational setting.








Do i see myself using the technology of augmented reality as a teacher?


There are many ways in which I can see the benefits of using augmented reality in the classroom. One way that really stands out to me is while teaching history. Many people find learning about history to be uninteresting. I cant think of a better way to change this thought short of going to the historical place than augmented reality. Even though the students may not actually be at the historical site, through augmented reality the possibility of seeing things as if they were there exists. They would be able to look through things and see things from different angles or perspectives, or even get a closer look at things. This is just one way in which i can see augmented reality being a useful tool in an educational setting.


Is the expansion of technology such as augmented reality to other means such as mobile apps also of potential benefit in an educational setting?


I think if used in the correct manner, then there is no reason that the use of augmented reality can't be equally beneficial being used on devices such as cell phones. In fact being more widely available has the potential to have it used more regularly and easily, and not just in a class room. It could be used for homework or research. With technology constantly growing it is important that educators embrace it and use it to their advantage. The use of augmented reality is just one example of a technological advance that has great educational potential.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Journal 2

Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock!. Learning and Leading, 37(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx


In Hadley Ferguson's article "Join the Flock", she discusses the importance of building a PLN, or Professional Learning Network and how using modern technologies such as twitter can play a crucial and important roll in building ones PLN. She talks about how before using twitter to expand her PLN she would have to do all the research herself to create lesson plans etc. She describes how twitter creates a community for strangers from all around the world with the same personal or professional interests to get together and share ideas and experiences. Through useful tools on twitter such as learning who to follow, simply following someone silently without ever replying, and the use of the hashtag (#) one's twitter experience is greatly enhanced. Along with these useful tools, Ferguson explains the importance of not only following others, and posting your own thoughts on twitter, but also "retweeting." By doing this you are tweeting the original post to a whole new audience which leads to the potential for more followers, which in turn leads to a larger PLN where more ideas can be shared. By doing all of these things, each individual involved is taking full advantage of the technological tools that are being made available to them. Furthermore, they are embracing the current technology which will only grow as time goes on.






As a teacher do I see myself using tools such as twitter to expand my PLN?


While i was originally 100% against the use of twitter I can see how using it professionally could be a great resource for an educator. My PLN would increase greatly and I would be able to connect with educators all over the world by participating in things such as #edchat, like we had discussed in class the other day. Getting different viewpoints and perspectives on teaching is an extremely valuable tool and to not use it when it is literally at your fingertips seems foolish. Not only does it benefit the educator, but it also benefits the students of the educator who is involved.


Do tools such as twitter have any place in the classroom for student use?


If used in the same manner as used by the educator, Then I feel that twitter indeed can have a beneficial roll in the classroom. Just as the educator can correspond with other educators all over the world, then perhaps the students can correspond with students from all over the world. An up to date version of pen pals. Also, there is no reason something such as #studentchat couldnt exist where students could exchange useful studying tips. These are just a few reasons why twitter could work in the classroom.

Journal 1

100 things that make me happy

1. Friends
2. Family
3.Fun
4. Good beer
5. Tv
6.Saved by the bell
7.Full House
8.The jersey shore
9.Good whiskey
10. My girlfriend
11. Dogs
12.Sleep
13. reaching goals
14.new clothes
15.shoes
16.music
17.the internet
18. movies
19. food
20. Skateboarding
21. Inside jokes
22. Toilet humor
23. Working at my favorite place to be
24. The fresh prince of bel air
25.living in san diego
26. Support
27. Encouragement
28. Redbox
29. Haircuts
30. Being healthy
31. Making money
32. being able to do things on my own
33.Aziz Ansari
34.My laptop
35. My Ipod
36. The mall
37. Bargain shopping
38. Free samples
39. Costco
40. Air conditioning
41. Having my own bathroom
42. My room being big
43. My beer "cellar"
44. Stouts
45. Sour beers
46.an IPA on a hot day
47. Being in the know
48. Learning new things
49. having 48 things to be happy about
50. Documentaries
51, Low budget movies
52. Mindless TV
53. not having to see anyone from high school
54. I have a college degree!
55. Getting my credential
56. Im going to be a teacher
57. I will only have to work 9 months out of the year
58.Watches
59. Collecting things
60. Records
61. frozen yogurt
62. Coffee
63. Pizza Port
64.Tulip glasses
65.Pictures
66. Memories
67. Experiences
68. Disneyland
69. Roller coasters
70. Churros
71. Burritos
73. Guacamole
74. Chicken
75. BBQ
76. Hamburgers
77. Chic Fil A
78. Jersey mikes
79. Chipotle
80. Free stuff
81. Getting a good deal
82. Helping people
83. Being helped
84.Craigslist
85. Discounts
86. Cab coupons
87. Cell phones
88. GPS
89. Having Health insurance
90. Glasses (seeing is good)
91.MTV
92. New shirts
93. Going to concerts
94. Getting paid
95. Direct deposit
96. Free beer
97. Cologne
98. Laughing
99. Smiling
100. guitars

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Technology self assessment: school 2.0

 The school 2.0 assignment entailed taking an online technology assessment and then researching and writing about what I found in regards to my results. This meets NETS-T 5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership



The area which I will focus on is "Links and descriptions of some little-known and some well-known Web 2.0 tools to foster communication and collaboration among students." These fall into the NETS-T area of "Model Digital-Age Work and Learning." This article can be found here.   I chose this standard because creating communication and collaboration among students is a very useful and beneficial concept. The more ideas that can be shared among students, the better. As a result of sharing ideas and concepts, students will be able to get a betfter understanding of the various thoughts and ideas each person has. Because of this, everyone involved learns something new. Some of the tools listed which help to foster communication and collaboration among studenfts range from skype, voice command tools, and blogging.

By looking through the various tools suggested in the article I was able to better understand that technology truly is a huge force in the present and future of learning. While I already had some understanding of this the links provided in the article helped to open up my eyes to the many different options that exist out there which can help to foster communication and collaboration among students. Through reading this article and exploring the links provided  I was able to learn just how technology can foster the communication and collaboration many teachers desire among their students. One tool that i found to be very interesting and would certainly foster the desired communication and collaboration is Yack Pack. This is a tool that allows people in a group to record voice messages for each other via the website. When anyone within the "pack" or group logs in, they can record a message for their group or listen to messages that were left. This would be a great tool for group projects,and would allow the students to communicate and collaborate on their ideas and thoughts.