THE COURSE:
I think that what I have benefited most from the course is the fact that I have learned about new resources that I can add to my classroom. These have come both from the book and from the knowledge of the other students in the class. I think the structure of the course allowed for adequate timing to complete the assignments and what to do with the information and how to incorporate it into our classrooms or at the very least into the blog.
The format of the course is exactly what it was titled to be through SMU. It is an online learning course that is extended in face to face meetings. I would have liked to have more teaching aspects at times of how to use these ideas in our classrooms and more feedback from the professor. I do know that Dr. Lan, was willing to do this if the student made the innitive to contact her. I loved the one on one conversations both over the phone and in the classroom to see where we were located. I liked that after the second part of the class more grades were given and we were able to see where we stood in the class. I think the final exam reveiw is a benefit that we did not have for the mid term and it would be good to have one for future classes. Examples on the projects before hand will also be beneficial for future classes. I think what inhibited me the most as a learner is that I like constant feedback that wasn't always available. I would say the changing of deadlines was also hard to switch to. I think that for next year, it would be beneficial to have set guidelines and when the week closes, the week closes and assignments will not be allowed after that time. This might mean that the class will start with a week and a half to finish assignments like we ended the class.
I think that overall Dr. Lan was very inviting to our veiwpoints and adapted the class as needed.
AS A LEARNER:
I think that while I haven't learned a lot of new components of teaching technology, I have learned how to find resources that are good to use int eh classroom. I would have liked to see our face to face meetings as more of what we learned and discussions aloud to add to (maybe through jigsawing??) what we were learning on our own. I think that while I learned a lot and posted early in the discussion boards, sometimes I forgot to go back and read what other people put because it all became redundant.
Overall, I believe that I learn better in face to face meetings, but there are ways to incorporate that into this class as well. It just means that our face to face meetings would need to be scheduled more about talking about what we have learned and incorporate that into our classrooms. While group time was needed in class as we are all busy outside of the class, maybe that would have been beneficial to be timed. I would have liked to seen the assitive technology project incorporated earlier into the timeline to give students more time to talk through the project, maybe not work on, but know what was expected (start in 2nd face to face as an intro to AT).
I have enjoyed this class and learning more about technology and how to incorporate that into my classroom. Thanks guys!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Topic 19: Quick Checks
Our district just bought a new program to go along with our TEKS checks. These are called Quick checks and they are supposed to be used to see if your students have gained the knowledge that they are supposed to have learned in your class. The only problem to this is that they are not available for my subject becuase I am not TAKS tested at my grade level. We have been told that Enlgish questions will be added to the site, but that it won't happen until next year, thus I am still doing paper quick checks, but I can see how this would be very beneficial compared to my post about TEKS Checks.
The really cool thinkg about Quick Checks is that you are able to cutom tailor it to what each student needs. This is exciting becuase once you make them, they are in your database for good. The other good thing, is that you can take Quick Checks from other teachers. We know how much we love to steal, so this is a great tool to use.
Our Math teacher on our team has used Quick Checks and has stated to what a great degree she is able to do them with hwen she does stations in her classroom. This would also be a great addition to balance literacy or small group instuction so that you know what to target with each student.
Does your district have anything like this? Do you think it woul dbe beneficial for you if it did?
The really cool thinkg about Quick Checks is that you are able to cutom tailor it to what each student needs. This is exciting becuase once you make them, they are in your database for good. The other good thing, is that you can take Quick Checks from other teachers. We know how much we love to steal, so this is a great tool to use.
Our Math teacher on our team has used Quick Checks and has stated to what a great degree she is able to do them with hwen she does stations in her classroom. This would also be a great addition to balance literacy or small group instuction so that you know what to target with each student.
Does your district have anything like this? Do you think it woul dbe beneficial for you if it did?
Topic 18: Wordle
Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.
The one downfall to Wordle is that you cannot save them onto your computer (which I hate). I think that Wordle is a great site for review subjects with your students and to let them get on and play.
I used a Wordle at the beginning of the year as a get to know you project. I can't find mine from the beginning of the year as I just had my students print them and not create an account, but here is a link to one that I love for an English Notebook Cover. The link won't pull up for some reason, so just go to Wordle and look for Enlgish Notebook Cover! If you go on the website and just play around you will find a lot of different uses for Wordle.
I have a feeling that I will be using Wordle for my WWII project with my studetns because it will allow them to start from there and they can be a great word wall for different aspects that would be needed for aroudn the classroom.
One of my students did a Wordle for me because they know how much that I love the book of Romans from the Bible. This is just a different way of how students might use Worlde.
I highly suggest Wordle for all grade levels because it is easy to adapt to the students' needs.
The one downfall to Wordle is that you cannot save them onto your computer (which I hate). I think that Wordle is a great site for review subjects with your students and to let them get on and play.
I used a Wordle at the beginning of the year as a get to know you project. I can't find mine from the beginning of the year as I just had my students print them and not create an account, but here is a link to one that I love for an English Notebook Cover. The link won't pull up for some reason, so just go to Wordle and look for Enlgish Notebook Cover! If you go on the website and just play around you will find a lot of different uses for Wordle.
I have a feeling that I will be using Wordle for my WWII project with my studetns because it will allow them to start from there and they can be a great word wall for different aspects that would be needed for aroudn the classroom.
One of my students did a Wordle for me because they know how much that I love the book of Romans from the Bible. This is just a different way of how students might use Worlde.
I highly suggest Wordle for all grade levels because it is easy to adapt to the students' needs.
Topic 17: Digital Cameras/Flip Cameras
Last year, my MTT and I wrote a grant through Best Buy (which is not available in the format we did last year) and recieved $2,000 to buy technology for our school. The best part about this is since I helped, these have been handed over to our English department in our school. This was a great grant to write and at the perfect timing, because our school's digital cameras are normally used solely for our yearbook staff.
These cameras have done some great things in my classroom by adding to our curriculum. This has allowed my students to take pictures and add them to photostory 3 or to add to movie maker. While my students are doing this, we are not only using images that can be found on the computer, but allowing them to get their own images.
Flip cameras, allow for the student to create movies that are then easy to download into the computer to then upload into movie maker. While I love digital cameras, the FLIP cameras are somuch easier to use for my students.
Some of the downfalls to allowing studetns to take the technology home is the chance that they may lose it or break it. Last year, while doing a project, one of my students lost his FLIP camera and had to pay the money back. Being at a Title I school, this was a decision that came about as part of many conversations with the parents and student. The student paid back his money both financially and working it off in my classroom. Be prepared that before you send students home with technology that there is a system in place of what to do if they lose or break the camera.
As for grant writing, this is not something that I do on a regular basis, but instead, would love to learn strategies. If you have any ideas, please share them.
These cameras have done some great things in my classroom by adding to our curriculum. This has allowed my students to take pictures and add them to photostory 3 or to add to movie maker. While my students are doing this, we are not only using images that can be found on the computer, but allowing them to get their own images.
Flip cameras, allow for the student to create movies that are then easy to download into the computer to then upload into movie maker. While I love digital cameras, the FLIP cameras are somuch easier to use for my students.
Some of the downfalls to allowing studetns to take the technology home is the chance that they may lose it or break it. Last year, while doing a project, one of my students lost his FLIP camera and had to pay the money back. Being at a Title I school, this was a decision that came about as part of many conversations with the parents and student. The student paid back his money both financially and working it off in my classroom. Be prepared that before you send students home with technology that there is a system in place of what to do if they lose or break the camera.
As for grant writing, this is not something that I do on a regular basis, but instead, would love to learn strategies. If you have any ideas, please share them.
Topic 16: TEKS Checks
In our district, like most other districts, we are required to do benchmarks each month. These benchmarks are called TEKS Checks and the joy of being an 8th grade teacher is that we are supposed to be teaching our lovely students how to transition from using a paper format to taking these on the computer.
This past TEKS Check, my students did horrible on the test. There are multiple factors that they could have led to a horrible test, but the one thing that we noticed, is that there is the new factor that they took it solely on the computer. Due to this, we are now transitioning back to the paper format and hten putting it into the computer.
This makes me furious as a teacher that wants to make my students better equiped for high school, but then at the same time, I feel like I can't continue to do bad on TEKS checks and then get reprimanded by the principal.
I am still searching for that perfect way to blend technology with the TEKS checks. I know that there is also an issue that if we teach it solely on teh computer, will they be prepared to take the test when they are in high school and have to take a paper based TAKS test? i think that at times technology is the best thing that we can do for students, but then there are times that I am just unsure.
While, I know that I am blessed to be in a district that mandates technology use in our classrooms, it is also hard for me to split what is the best practice when I am one of the few teachers that uses our COW's. TEKS checks are supposed to be a benchmark, and while I agree with this, my principal sees it as a ranking with other schools in the district. I know that as a future MTT that I will continue to incorporate technology and know that I am putting my students first and that is all that matters!
This past TEKS Check, my students did horrible on the test. There are multiple factors that they could have led to a horrible test, but the one thing that we noticed, is that there is the new factor that they took it solely on the computer. Due to this, we are now transitioning back to the paper format and hten putting it into the computer.
This makes me furious as a teacher that wants to make my students better equiped for high school, but then at the same time, I feel like I can't continue to do bad on TEKS checks and then get reprimanded by the principal.
I am still searching for that perfect way to blend technology with the TEKS checks. I know that there is also an issue that if we teach it solely on teh computer, will they be prepared to take the test when they are in high school and have to take a paper based TAKS test? i think that at times technology is the best thing that we can do for students, but then there are times that I am just unsure.
While, I know that I am blessed to be in a district that mandates technology use in our classrooms, it is also hard for me to split what is the best practice when I am one of the few teachers that uses our COW's. TEKS checks are supposed to be a benchmark, and while I agree with this, my principal sees it as a ranking with other schools in the district. I know that as a future MTT that I will continue to incorporate technology and know that I am putting my students first and that is all that matters!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Topic 15: Podcasting--Open Post
Podcasting is a great tool that teachers can use in their classroom. Podcasting is where studetns can record their voice and produce whatever the teacher wants them to learn. I have just been trained on how to do this in my classroom, and have tried implementing it this past week. Needlessly to say, I think that this could be a big mistake on my part. While my students are loving creating the podcast, the saving and technology side of this isn't always working the way I want it too.
What my students first had to do was create a story on paper. Once they were done creating the story, they then went into audacity to create their story auditorily. After they were done with their story, they would import music from a free music site and then blend the two together.
While this is what would have happened in a perfect classroom. Short classperiod made this not work as best as I wanted it to. I had to use two class periods, and when students went to open up their product the next day, it created multiple fields that overlapped each other. This was a hassel and our students had to rework their story.
Overall, I think that the assignment can still be salvaged, but it will take some time. What I have learned is that even though we are learning technology, it isn't always going to work, but at least we are trying!
Keep working hard and get a good laugh, becuase at least I am learning!
What my students first had to do was create a story on paper. Once they were done creating the story, they then went into audacity to create their story auditorily. After they were done with their story, they would import music from a free music site and then blend the two together.
While this is what would have happened in a perfect classroom. Short classperiod made this not work as best as I wanted it to. I had to use two class periods, and when students went to open up their product the next day, it created multiple fields that overlapped each other. This was a hassel and our students had to rework their story.
Overall, I think that the assignment can still be salvaged, but it will take some time. What I have learned is that even though we are learning technology, it isn't always going to work, but at least we are trying!
Keep working hard and get a good laugh, becuase at least I am learning!
Topic 14: USHMM--Open Post
This past week, I have been attending a conference called, "Teaching the Holocaust." This was put on by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). It was a great learning environment on what I can do as a teacher, but it also offers a lot of technology aspects to bring into the classroom. The USHMM website has a lot of really cool aspects, but I will list my top five below.
1. Animated Maps
The Animated Maps are short video clips that allow for the teacher to not only show the students where something happened, but also give basic background information behind the event. One of the new items that I learned at the training was about the voyage of the St. Louis. Below is the link that will show you how an animated map works.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/media_nm.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005267&MediaId=3544
I would use this in my classroom as a starting point and then move on with our teaching lesson.
2. Encyclopedia
One of the best parts about the Encyclopedia is that it can be translated into mulitple languages, which will allow you to help your students that do not speak English as their first language. Each article also has pictures, artifacts, videos (if available), and links within the article if there are items you might not be aware of. I will use this in my webquest for my lesson plan for this class.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005130
3. Artifacts
Primary documents and artifacts from the time period are so important for our students to see. There are a lot of artifacts that are found in the Encyclopedia that can be useful for starts of conversations. Below is a link to the artifact.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/media_da.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005142&MediaId=113
4. Online Exhibitions
The Online Exhibits are a way to take your students on a virtual field trip. As part of my curriculum, I am supposed to talk about the importance of persuasion in writing and pictures. There is an oline exhibit on propoganda that will be beneficial to my studetns to see.
http://www.ushmm.org/propaganda/
5. Personal Histories
This is one of the items that will become more crucial as more of our Holocaust survivors pass away. The Personal histories are written stories and some videos that show the students the real person.
http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/phistories/
I am looking forward to next semester when I can add this wonderful piece of technology into my classroom.
1. Animated Maps
The Animated Maps are short video clips that allow for the teacher to not only show the students where something happened, but also give basic background information behind the event. One of the new items that I learned at the training was about the voyage of the St. Louis. Below is the link that will show you how an animated map works.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/media_nm.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005267&MediaId=3544
I would use this in my classroom as a starting point and then move on with our teaching lesson.
2. Encyclopedia
One of the best parts about the Encyclopedia is that it can be translated into mulitple languages, which will allow you to help your students that do not speak English as their first language. Each article also has pictures, artifacts, videos (if available), and links within the article if there are items you might not be aware of. I will use this in my webquest for my lesson plan for this class.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005130
3. Artifacts
Primary documents and artifacts from the time period are so important for our students to see. There are a lot of artifacts that are found in the Encyclopedia that can be useful for starts of conversations. Below is a link to the artifact.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/media_da.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005142&MediaId=113
4. Online Exhibitions
The Online Exhibits are a way to take your students on a virtual field trip. As part of my curriculum, I am supposed to talk about the importance of persuasion in writing and pictures. There is an oline exhibit on propoganda that will be beneficial to my studetns to see.
http://www.ushmm.org/propaganda/
5. Personal Histories
This is one of the items that will become more crucial as more of our Holocaust survivors pass away. The Personal histories are written stories and some videos that show the students the real person.
http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/phistories/
I am looking forward to next semester when I can add this wonderful piece of technology into my classroom.
Topic 13: Glogster (Open Post)
This past week, I was introduced to a wonder Web 2.0 product called "Glogster." Glogster is in essence, a virtual posterboard. The best part for me in glogster is that all student accounts can be linked to the teacher account. This allows for easy access for the teacher to monitor and grade the glogsters. The next part is that other students are also linked to all other students, so that they can make comments to one another.
Below is a practice glog that I did while I was learning about glogster. http://anewby.edu.glogster.com/newbypractice/
What this one doesn't show, but what Glogster has avaiable is the opportunity to link where you found your picture, information, etc. from. This allows for a virtual bibliography and a way that the students can easily learn about citations. Once a student has added the image then they can add the link to where the informaiton was found. This is essential to writing papers.
Glogster also has a private setting, so that students are protected. The key with any Web 2.0 product is that teachers have to make sure that the students are protecting themselves. They shouldn't be allowed to give out any personal information, which is allowed in glogster. The teacher while using glogster needs to be very mindful when teaching students that this is an educational resource. If they want to share more, then they need to create a personal one, not the school one!
If you have questions of Glogster, feel free to contact me!
Below is a practice glog that I did while I was learning about glogster. http://anewby.edu.glogster.com/newbypractice/
What this one doesn't show, but what Glogster has avaiable is the opportunity to link where you found your picture, information, etc. from. This allows for a virtual bibliography and a way that the students can easily learn about citations. Once a student has added the image then they can add the link to where the informaiton was found. This is essential to writing papers.
Glogster also has a private setting, so that students are protected. The key with any Web 2.0 product is that teachers have to make sure that the students are protecting themselves. They shouldn't be allowed to give out any personal information, which is allowed in glogster. The teacher while using glogster needs to be very mindful when teaching students that this is an educational resource. If they want to share more, then they need to create a personal one, not the school one!
If you have questions of Glogster, feel free to contact me!
Topic 12: Technology Across the Senses
I think that out of the multiple intelligences I am most likely to learn with Verbal/Linguistics. I am a total read-write learner which has been shown at the conference I have been attending for the past three days. I love the fact that I have to write what I learn. I want to see handout and see it in written print so that I can do what I want to with it. I also learn well with Intrapersonal, where as a student I am having to have real life conversations about what I am reading and learning.
I think that I teach best with Verbal/Linguistic, becuase it is the way that I learn the easiest for me becuase I learn that way. I have a poweropint for each presentation that I present to my class, but then students are required to take notes and participate in the discussion (Intrapersonal). I think that as teachers, we teach in the way that we learn. The multiple intelligence that I am trying to focus on more this year though, is kinesthetic becuase that is where my students are this year. Each year, I give the VARK test which allows me to see where my students are at with learning.
For my lesson plan in this course, I am doing a research assignment on topics over WWII. My learning objectives for this project with be:
1. The learner will be able to use a webquest to find information about topics in WWII.
2. The learner will be able to take notes in an digital format.
3. The learner will be able to cite their sources.
4. The learner will be able to organize their thoughts.
5. The learner will be able to find relevant information while searching through websites.
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