Exit slip

Today, we discussed our technology inquiry questions and did an overview of our interactive whiteboard lesson.  The assignment sounds like it will be pretty fun and I look forward to learning how to use the SMARTboard for the lesson.  The idea of putting together the lesson and doing it for the class seems really cool and a good way to learn how to use everything at SMART's disposal.  The only thing is that I now need to figure out a benchmark to use for the lesson.  I learned a lot more about how to use the SMART technology and that makes me feel much better about the assignment.

Ch. 4

This chapter was a bit different for me.  I thought it was interesting to learn about some history/changes in American Schooling through time.  It gives you a better appreciation of what you are getting into and opens your eyes and makes you think, "How much further can we go?"  It feels a bit overwhelming at times to think of all the changes that can come up so fast, but we must embrace all of this.  It will be to our advantage to adapt and it will benefit our students.  We all know that there will be more changes in schooling and its exciting to almost see it happen right in front of us.  The reading though makes me feel that technology is even more important than ever in the classroom.  Yes we know that we will eventually have to learn to use even more types of technology, but its always going to be there.  It proves that you can almost do anything with technology in your classroom.  You can use things to increase participation, cause more in-depth thinking, and teach them the newest tools out there.  The reading makes it aware that schooling is always changing and technology in the classroom is the next "revolution".  From this chapter, I will want to learn everything there is for technology in my classroom.  I, as a teacher, will want to be up to date on knowing how to use everything and learn how to incorporate it into my lessons.

Ch. 3

In this chapter, the discussion of how technologies so far haven't really changed schooling and how it is hard to not only get the funding for them but how to use them, really interested me.  I agree that certain technologies haven't really "expanded" the classroom like they have been expected to do and I also understand that there is a gap in who will get to use the technology (hard to get everyone on the same level).  Also, it does make some sense that it is hard to manage your classroom with all of the new technology that is out there when most all the kids will know more about the use of it than you will.  It also does make sense that you cannot replace teachers because they have that "human touch" and can do many things a computer never can.  Also, it is hard to disagree with students undermining your authority when they feel like they can learn better on their own and don't have to listen to a person that is not on a screen.  All of this makes sense to me but the main thing is how to get everyone on the same page here with technology.  Is there enough funding to get all schools caught up?  Maybe not, but I do believe that you do have to use the most up to date items in your classroom to prepare your students for their futures.  I will take all of this information into consideration and find a way to manage my classroom appropriatly even with the expanded use of technology.  I want to blend all of this together and give my students the best that they can get.  I will give everyone equal oppurtunity and make sure that they know that you can learn withouth an electronic device at times.  I want to have this challenge and look forward to facing it.  I want to re-invent how parents think they're children learn.  Not only will they use technology but they will learn how to talk in front of each other, expand discussion, and continue to do hands-on learning.

Chapter 2 late post!

After reading "The technology enthusiasts' argument", there are many things to think of with the topic at hand.  I would agree with the fact that some aspects of schooling seem to be "lost in time" and haven't changed a whole lot at all.  I do agree with this but I have a different view on why.  I think the reason it hasn't changed isn't because we don't want to, but because the people who taught our current teachers, they taught them how schooling was when they were students and so on.  With that, it seems like we are stuck in a sad cycle of teaching other teachers and students about our past and teaching them the way we were taught.  I believe we should teach them for the future, particularly their future.  This does not mean throw away all books and never to longhand math problems again, but it does mean that we have to prepare our students for their future's, not our pasts.  As we discuss and read even more, I see that technology is vital to the new classroom and that we need to use it.  Once again, this does not mean that I will "clean house" on teaching.  You need to know when to use technology and how it is connected to what they're learning.  I look forward to using technology in my classroom and teaching my students many tools that they can use to improve their learning.  I look to find a nice balance between technology and traditional schooling.  I would like to show my students ways to grab eachother's attentions by doing presentations that aren't powerpoints or a poster.  I want to find better ways of assesment such as clickers or using the smartboard like we do in class.  Anything to get them to use technology in a fun yet educational way.

Growing Up Online

Watching "Growing Up Online" was a very scary but true message.  As shown in the videos, kids are connected almost all the time no matter where they are.  With this, you cannnot control what they do, who they talk to, or do the basics to protect your child from danger.  Technology is a double-edged sword.  It it a great tool to expand your horizons and learn to use new outlets to share ideas and gain more knowledge but at the same time, its a way to get into serious trouble and change who you are for the worst.  All of this changes how a student learns.  It shortens their attention spans, allows them to learn outside of class or learn something complete different while you're right in front of them.  Other downsides are bully.  Children now "need" technology to learn.  To me, it does not even seem possible that elementary kids now could ever sit in a college lecture someday for 2 hours at a time.  I sometimes struggle with this but know when I have to pay attention.  My fear is that they will never fully learn how to pay attention without some kind of screen or a program to do everything for them.  I still know that we need technology to teach our students and to help them remember what they are learning.  There are ways to prevent cheating with sparknotes and to have them focus in school.  The biggest problem to me is what happens outside of school.  Do parents regulate what their kids look at or who they talk to?  Do they even communicate with family members through speaking?  Do parents even care?  These are things that I cannot control.  Yes, I can do whatever I can in my classroom to help them learn but what effect the outside world has with technology is not controlled by myself.  In my classroom I will NOT allow social networks to be open.  I will not allow ipods or music devices to be out and I will never allow phones to be used for anything personal.  There are things that I will do.  I will encourage use of video, use of a SMARTBOARD, I will use technology to grasp and keep their attention.  At the same time, I will have students learn to use these technologies and expand their horizons.

Chapters 1-3 of Blogs and Wikis

This reading makes me think many things about how I want my classroom environment and message to be.  It also makes the role of technology even stronger in schools.  I do believe that you need to use up to date technologies in your classroom not only to benefit the students, but to progress as a teacher.  Technology in the classroom has come so far since I was in elementary school (only 15 years ago) and it's crazy to think of how far it will be in another 15 years.  Children now days have access to many forms of media and technology everyday; be it at school, at home, or at a friends house.  Since they are always bombarded with such things, it only seems logical that they would excel by using technology in the classroom.  The main objective here is to teach kids something valueble that they can use and teach it in a way that they will remember it.  If you believe that the kids will remember your unit on the Revolutionary War by reading a textbook then doing a video presentation or some other media outlet, then thats what you should do.  For my classroom, I will look to teach my students in the best way possible.  This does not mean that I will completely throw away the textbook and the discussions but I can add new technologies into my teaching.  I can have my students learn to blog their ideas and share them with each-other.  You can assign groups to do a fun podcast once a week to share a topic with other students.  One thing I really want to incorporate would be the Kindle.  It would be awesome to allow your students to have any book they want at their fingertips at all times.  If you're teaching older students, you could have them do a text question of the day just to spice up topic.  All of this allows the students to interact socially but also by using new technology and technology that they already use everyday.  Remember, my main focus is to teach my students what they need to know, but do it in ways that will help them remember it for good.  If my students learn better by discussing a topic then sharing it electronically or with a different media outlet, then so be it.

Exit Slip

Today we learned some tools for the SmartBoard.  We also had a good, long discussion on or readings from the Preface and Chapter 1.  We had some good discussions and shared our opinions on the importance of education in public schools and how this will affect the future of public schools.  The SmartBoard overview was very nice.  It was cool to learn how to use simple tools that help advance a presentation.  This was very helpful since our Ed. Psych class is having us use this technology for presentations without ever showing us how to use it.  This was all very helpful and it was nice to share and hear oppossing views on our readings.

"Look at the tree octopus!"

Upon viewing these amazing and truely "educational" sites, it is easy to see how students can read anything on the web and believe it.  Many students think of the internet as the one, true source for any question they have.  One big problem is that even with a lot of really good, reliable sites out there, there are many that are just made up and false.  For me, I would teach kids the old way of finding out if something is true.  First of all, I would introduce them to something they may have never seen, a book! (Note: They have seen books, this was just saracasm.)  I would teach them to use other supplies at their disposal.  First, I would teach them to search in their library for other multiple, "credible" resources on what they are looking up.  More than likely if there is not any hard literature on the subject, then it is more than likely false.  Beyond that, you can teach them ways of finding credibility online.  You can teach your students to use powerful tools such and EbscoHost or even go onto National Geographic if is contains anything with animals like the tree octupus.  I would teach the importance of finding multiple sources that are from different resources such as a book, an encyclopedia, a newspaper, a magazine, and then a website.  Also, they could speak to experts or do interviews.  For the octopus, they could call someone from the zoo and for MLK Jr. and the Explorers, they could look in a published history book.  I would teach my students to be well rounded; the more credible sources, the better.

Exit Slip from last week

The new learning that I took away from class was how to use my delicious account better and to be more organized.  I learned with this, that I can save multiple resources and have them at my fingertips at anytime.  With this, I can share my tools and look at others to use for my own education.  This helps with keeping up on organization and really expanding your ideas while sharing them with others.  I like the class wiki since we all have our stuff on one place and it makes it much easier to get to everyone else's stuff if you need to use some of their resources or just read up on their blog.

Preface and Chapter 1

I found chapter 1 to be very insightful and raise many questions.  Like everyone and especially anyone going into teaching, I am curious and a bit scared of technology.  As discussed in the chapter, technology is always changing and giving people more power at their finger-tips.  It is true that people can learn anything they want from almost anywhere at anytime.  Like anything with technology though, this is good and bad.  I agree that schools must adapt with the growth of technology and give our students the tools that will be useful in and outside of school.  It is important to incorporate ideas and technologies that are relevant.  At the same time though, you should not abandon the traditional American schooling.  We must put the two together somehow.  You need technology to help the students learn in new ways and show them how to use what is available for them.  This also allows them to learn more out of school.  Also, you need traditional schooling to teach things that you just can't get from a computer or phone.  Without schooling you miss out on learning how to be social, build self-confidence, meet friends, learn to speak and interact with others, discipline, and the most basic tool of all, listening and comprehending.  I agree that technology must be used in schools but it should not replace teachers or the normal way of schooling but come together as one and give our students what they need.  As I become a teacher, I will learn to incorporate new technologies into my classroom.  This does not mean that I will abandon books and writing and choose cellphones over everything else, but I will use the technology that is vital for children to learn to use.  You can use podcasts to put extra teaching online for students to reach or for parents to see what you're up to.  You can start a blog to challenge thinking outside of school and share your ideas anywhere and at anytime.  I will use technology hand-in-hand with traditional schooling.

Exit Slip

I took away a few things from todays class.  We learned how to use a few new good tools that we can use in our classroom.  It was really nice to learn about delicious.  This will help with better organization of teaching materials but also help expand what you are able to do in the classroom.  It is nice to have all of the sites that you need in one place and in a nice order so it's easy to find anything whenever you need it; plus you can always add new tools all the time.  I thought it was nice to get the class calendar today; that will really help with my organization and help with my confusion of when things are due.  The class wiki is a good idea since we will all be in one area which makes it easier to get to blogs and other peoples materials.  One thing I do not like about this is that it takes people really long to just add their information.  Today I learned more about organization and how its key.  Delicious will really help with this so I'm happy we learned about that.

Digital Autobiography

http://www.vuvox.com/collage/detail/02caa13d2a

I did not have to exert too much effort on this task but then again, it was more fun than usual homework so it didn't seem like I had to do a whole lot.  It was fun to do something like this but I wasn't able to get any music put onto it.

The value in completing this task is that I was given the oppurtunity to use a new program and expand my understanding of using something visual besides a powerpoint.

This impacts my future teaching by showing me that I have many other ways of showing a visual aid.  This also helps me understand how others may learn and how to help them learn through this tool, be it they make their own or watch one of these "videos".

First Class Questions: What does technology mean to you? (nothing exciting to read)

1. Technology to me means the use and integration of the most recent and up-to-date programs and software to help anyone with any task (i.e. typing, playing music, etc.). The word to me means any advancement that makes life easier or gives you a new approach to things.


2. Technology integration would be finding ways to use it in the classroom and ways to use it to benefit the learner; be that for reading, writing, or any arts classes. It could have many different looks. One could be teaching kids how to type or even basic programs that help them learn.