Reflective post

 

When I decided to sign up for this class I did not know what to expect. I took a couple of the other teaching classes already but this one I knew would be different. That made me a little nervous at first, I had to get out of my comfort zone. My first blog post was a little scary. I was actually freaking out because I did not know how to use blogger at all. My first blog took a lot longer than it should have. After the first couple post I became so much more comfortable with making the posts. In the beginning a post would take me three to four hours to do, now I can write one in forty minutes, and adding the technology components takes about another forty minutes. I am happy that it does not take as long. It is not because I started cutting corners, it is simply because I knew what to do and what you were expecting. We had a couple group projects in the course and they went great. The groups I was put in always had one or two people who would take charge and we would get it done. Now you can either get an okay professor, a great professor or one that you wonder why they are a professor. I was fortunate enough to get a great professor for this course. When I emailed you I always got a response, grades were always graded, and it seemed like you cared about your students.  The assignments made you think and I knew that I was learning a lot that I would be able to use when I become a teacher, for example a webquest. The first time I heard about webquests was from this course, I will incorporate them in my lessons when I become a teacher. I would give you constructive criticism if I had any. I had no problems during this course that made me feel upset or too troubled. The syllabus followed the course very well and I knew what you would be expecting. Keep doing what you are doing.

References:

Bennet, W. (n.d.). The lasting impact of good teachers - CNN.com. Retrieved December 10, 2015, from http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/11/opinion/bennett-good-teachers/

WebQuest 101 Part 1 -- What is a WebQuest? (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4rel5qOPvU

Inspirational teaching quotes - Google Search. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2015, from https://www.google.com/search?q=inspirational teaching

Digital blog L

When I was reading the ‘One on one’ laptop section of the textbook, I could not help but to think what a great concept it is. Laptops can be used for so much in class. A lot of kids do not have any technology due to their parent’s financial circumstance. If a child cannot afford a laptop while everyone else can, I would not want that child to feel unequal to the class. Having a laptop will open the door to many fun activities because it will engage each student.
 

By Melly0207 | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

Just like having laptops in the classroom, Ipads can bring a whole new world of learning. With Ipads children can easily work in groups, while being able to use interactive websites. There is an app on the Ipad to look at constellations, so you can make a fun lesson while learning about the stars during the day time.  Ipads also can easily go outside which can expand some lesson plans. I have talked about Google earth a couple times in my blogs and having an Ipad will make Google earth even more amazing than it already is.

Students know so much about technology because they are growing up with such advanced technology already. Talking to students about technology can benefit the teacher. I would ask what everyone knows and even talk to my students about anything that I do not know. Talking to your students about technology gives great insight, you can learn how the students learn concerning technology. For example, which device would be most beneficial for learning? Everyone would put their word in and you can set up lesson plans accordingly. Students will also love knowing that the advice they gave to a teacher was being used. 

 

In conclusion, laptops can be very beneficial for a classroom. There are countless learning programs that can be used on a computer. Then just a smaller form of a laptop would be an Ipad which would be convenient for outdoor activities and engaging the students with a fun learning activity. Students know a lot about technology already so it only makes sense to hear what they have to say.

References:

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

McBride, M. (n.d.). EME by Melly0207 - ToonDoo - World's fastest way to create cartoons! Retrieved November 29, 2015, from http://www.toondoo.com/View.toon?param=9501609

IPads in the Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2015, from http://www.bbcactive.com/BBCActiveIdeasandResources/iPadsintheClassroom.aspx

Technology in education: Changing the way students learn. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edo_vynHypc

 

Digital Blog K

I have discussed Google Earth before in another digital blog. I am taking this opportunity to discuss further about virtual field trips discussed now in chapter six. With virtual field trips you can go almost anywhere. An interesting development of virtual field trips is that the teacher can put it on a promethean board so that the class as a whole can take the trip together. By doing that each child will see the trip differently in their eyes, everyone can share how they interpreted going to Lake Michigan or the Smithsonian. These trips will show students a life outside of their own and give them an urge to explore the world.

 

I have experience with online learning and virtual schools . I am taking a couple online classes including this one and a blended course. At first I was nervous about an online class, simply because I have always been taught by a teacher in an actually classroom. I think both in class teaching and online teachings are great ways to further an education. I do believe that there are some people who cannot learn as well online as they do in class. If you are having a child do virtual schooling I would track their progress. If they are having difficulties that they used to not have it could be from not being in a physical classroom.

With technology today it is easier to do things that we couldn’t before. Now there are educational websites, which can be very convenient. For example, a very popular one is a lesson plan website. A lesson plan website gives countless ideas and lesson plans with step by step methods. If a teacher is having trouble that week with her lesson plan she can just use that site and never have to worry again. You can even change a lesson that you like to fit the grade level you are teaching.

In conclusion, virtual field trips can take you anywhere you want to go. A fun idea would be to have your students write down where they want to go and put them all in a hat. Then pick one from the hat and that is the place where the class will be going. Online classes are very convenient; the concept of an online class and virtual schooling is not that old. It makes me wonder what else technology will do in ten years. Educational websites can benefit students and teachers in many ways. One I focused on was a lesson plan website. They are easy to find and can really help in the long run.

 

References:

10 Free Education Websites that Will Expand Your Horizons [LIST] - Goodnet. (2014, April 10). Retrieved November 12, 2015, from http://www.goodnet.org/articles/10-free-education-websites-that-will-expand-your-horizons-list

McBride, M. (n.d.). Prezi. Retrieved November 12, 2015, from https://prezi.com/2injairptsmi/untitled-prezi/#

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

O'Hanlon, L. (n.d.). Virtual Elementary School: Should You Enroll Your Kids? Retrieved November 11, 2015, from http://www.parents.com/kids/education/elementary-school/virtual-elementary-school/

Virtual Field Trip - Amazon Rainforest. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEsV5rqbVNQ

 

Digital blog J

I was surprised and enlightened when I read about democratic schools and classrooms. I was so surprised because I never heard anything like that before.  Democratic schools and classrooms mean that students have a say in the decisions of the school, along with the teachers. Yes at first people will think they will just agree on everything that has them doing less work. I do not think like that, a lot of the students will give input on how they will learn more efficiently. That will help the teacher when creating lessons. It also gives the students a feel of equality amongst the staff.

Teaching with clickers is a 21^st century technology designed for fast results, active learning, and student involvement. When using clickers in the classroom the students are more engaged than just a lecture. Making it into a game even can engage them even more. Also another beneficial factor would be that the students are not shy to answer because you cannot tell who had what right and who had what wrong; eliminating the scary part of being embarrassed in front of peers. I have taken a test before on a clicker and it gave immediate results, I took it and when I finished I knew what I had gotten.

High stake testing can be scary for any student. How do you properly prepare for such an important test? Participation systems like the clickers. You can have questions from previous tests on the screen and the students will be required to carefully analyze and answer the questions. An important part for the teacher is to teach your students how to properly analyze the question and to eliminate the wrong answers.

In conclusion, there are very few democratic schools. In hind sight though there are more than people think there are. Teachers usually ask every class how they can help further and ideas of how they will learn better. Clickers are a great idea when trying to engage your students in the activity. They are also important when studying for high stake tests. Being prepared will increase your grade tremendously.

References:

Guldbrandsen, M. (n.d.). A Democratic Approach to Classroom Management. Retrieved November 8, 2015, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/classroom-leadership/sept1998/A-Democratic-Approach-to-Classroom-Management.aspx
How to Prepare for SAT, ACT, and High-Stakes Tests. (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTsxYXuZjtE
Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
McBride, M. (n.d.). Clickers in the classroom (2). Retrieved November 8, 2015, from http://linoit.com/users/Melly0207/canvases/Clickers in the classroom (2)

 

Digital blog I

Lesson planning is very common in the classroom. It would be hard to wake up that morning and think alright well I guess we will do this today. When you are prepared your class will be more proficient. There are objectives that the teacher needs to keep in mind. According to Transforming Learning with New Technologies, these learning objectives are: Tell who, is going to do what, When, How much or how often, and how it will be measured or evaluated. If you answer these questions you will find the outcome of what lesson you are teaching.

I was surprised to see that personal experience made the list of how to assess a classroom. For example, if I only did fill in the blank worksheets when I was young and loved it, I would affiliate fill in the blank worksheets in my lesson. I have had a couple great teachers and incorporating some of their teaching methods in a classroom would be amazing. I have never heard anyone say something good about standardized testing. Even if you do not agree with standardized testing, you still have to make time to prepare your students to pass. A lot of people want more than to just pass though, putting in the effort to really inform your students of what they are learning can go a long way.

There are a lot of benefits in being a 21^st century teacher. One of those benefits is a electronic grading software. The electronic grading software can virtually record grades. There is more to it than just putting in grades. You can set up the percentages of what homework, test, participation, or even quizzes. For example, Homework can be 10% of your grade while tests are 20%, and the software calculates the grade for you. Another benefit of this software is teachers, students, and family members who have access to the student’s grades can see it instantly.

 

In conclusion, lesson planning is important when teaching. Knowing the objectives will give you a clear layout of what they need to learn and why they need to learn it. When I was in fifth grade my teacher put marbles in a jar when we were behaving well and when that jar was full we could have 30 to 40 minutes of play time. I will incorporate this when I am a teacher because I remember how fun it was to earn those marbles. The electronic grading software was a great invention; teachers will have more time on their hands. Also since the software calculates the grades for you it will be more accurate.

References:

Chen, M. (2015, September 2). The Rebellion Against Standardized Tests Is Exploding. Retrieved October 29, 2015, from https://www.thenation.com/article/the-rebellion-against-standardized-tests-is-exploding/

CoolSIS for Teachers (Attendance, Gradebook, Exam Reader). (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brWPP0__WBU


Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

McBride, M. (2015, October 28). . Learning objectives. Retrieved October 29, 2015, from https://www.canva.com/design/DABgqftQ-LQ/XWsPghvY1Nhdl0Xb7K8pPg/edit

Digital Blog H

If you are a student or a teacher there is no doubt that you have either heard or used PowerPoint in your life. Using PowerPoint in the classroom is a great way to have students interact with their project and go beyond the textbook. No matter what grade you are in PowerPoint is a tool that you can use to your benefit. For example, you are assigned a project on whales. By using PowerPoint you will be able to use pictures, videos, audio and animations in your slides. When you are presenting your PowerPoint on whales you have a lot of information and can get your audience’s attention. This is because they are not listening to you just talk the whole time, your audience can have visuals and follow along with what you are saying.

 

I found alphabet books to be a wonderful way for students to easily learn their alphabets. An alphabet book is pretty self explanatory. It is a book the child learning the alphabet makes, the letter A for example would be a picture of an apple with the lower and upper case A. There will also be a sentence added “A is for Apple”. When I am a kindergarten teacher I will incorporate alphabet books into my lessons. The child made the book with pretty pictures and their own sentences so they want to read it over and over. They will also want to show every adult they run into, that gives them even more practice.

 

I was surprised to read about the benefits of using a camera with students. I was surprised by this because I always assumed that that was something to avoid. When I was in high school I helped out with the ESE students and they were very strict on no cameras. I know that you have to have parent consent to have any pictures of a child taken.  Cameras can be useful in the classroom. One of the reasons is, if you are doing a science experiment or anything that will take a week or longer to complete, you can take pictures and show the students how the experiment has progressed daily.

In conclusion, PowerPoint is a great way to be more engaged with a project and presenting can be less stressful. There is a similar version of PowerPoint now called Prezi. It works the same yet I think Prezi is a little more appealing to the eye because it is different. Alphabet books are a great way to express the creativity of a young mind. Cameras can be useful when doing a long experiment, and to see the progress that students make.

 

References:

 Document Camera. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2015, from http://www.edtechnetwork.com/document_cameras.html

How to Create Profesional Powerpoint Presentation slides | Best Powerpoint Tips. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duf_gutmvjo

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

McBride, M. (n.d.). Alphabet Book. Retrieved October 25, 2015, from http://www.zooburst.com/zb_books-viewer.php?book=zb01_562c49182ac4a
 

Digital Blog G

Having everyone in the classroom know they can have many accomplishes is important. Teachers have a lot of work cut out for them, from standardized testing to making everyone feel welcomed.  Multicultural education is significant in a teacher’s lesson. It should not matter what ethnicity someone is, that teacher has a job to educate them. Students are the future of America, how they learn will reflect on society. Technology is a great way to have a more diverse lesson. A teacher can use interactive websites to go to past events or current. The students will be more engaged with learning and multicultural education will be present.

            Universal design is usually everywhere. If you go to a store and you see a wheelchair ramp that is universally designed for everyone who is in a wheelchair. Set ups like that are at countless places. An important place to have universal design would be school. Yes schools usually have a ramp or doors that will open if you press the handicap button. Universal design needs to be in the classroom. A teacher needs to be aware of the situation of the student or students and make changes to her classroom accordingly.

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            Assistive technology can be just as life changing as universal design. For example, someone who cannot see well has audio with her lesson. Assistive technologies are tools that students with any disability can use and prosper with their education. A student still needs to be challenge and be able to critically think. Technology can sometimes get in the way of that. In Transforming Learning with new Technologies, they talk about a speech software that students with motor disabilities can speak and their words will show up on the screen. Someone who struggles with a motor disability would enjoy coming to school more with that type of software.

In conclusion, it should not matter what ethnicity you are, you are there to get an education to better yourself for your future goals. Teachers can set up a more diverse classroom and use technology to have a more multicultural education. A student with any disability should be able to get in and out of the classroom. Also assistive technology is important to any classroom with or without disabilities. Technology offers so much to everyone, might as well use it.

References:
Darby, A. (n.d.). Understanding Universal Design in the Classroom. Retrieved October 14, 2015, from http://www.nea.org/home/34693.htm

Lynch, E. (n.d.). The Call to Teach: Multicultural Education. Retrieved October 14, 2015, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-lynch-edd/the-call-to-teach-multicu_b_4568066.html

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

McBride, M. (2015, October 14). Ways to have Universal Design in your classroom - Tackk. Retrieved October 14, 2015, from https://tackk.com/082kxz

Understanding Assistive Technology: Simply Said. (n.d.). Retrieved October 14, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB9pKkZoJDc