Most students are familiar with the Internet in some form or fashion. Chapter 2 gives us an overview of searching and researching on the Internet and how teachers should try to include effecting research methods in classroom instruction. I agree with the authors when they describe the process of researching as a way to sometimes just find an answer. In my classes, including college level courses, teachers often give questions or assessments that students can google and find the answer in an instant. Instead of giving "close-ended" questions for research and investigation, teachers should pose questions, issues, or problems that students can explore and construct answers based on their findings.
One of the problems with the Internet is that it's so "big". There are many resources that we have at literally the click of a button. With these resources comes the temptation of getting off task and spending time in areas that are not important or irrelevant to the task. Even as I am sitting here reading and reflecting, it is very tempting to go check my facebook or look at the new MacBook that I want to order. In order for students to search and stay on task effectively, we need to teach skills to our students that will promote a positive searching mentality. As the authors describe (p. 15), since there are so many resources, we need to be able to search, evaluate, and then organize information we find. If students know they are searching for a purpose and have steps in mind to follow they will hopefully stay on task more and learn valuable and relevant information (not that the "other stuff" isn't relevant, but might not be relevant to the assignment at hand).
One of the important skills each person needs to possess while searching the Internet is the ability to evaluate sources. From our homework assignment, I learned to easily someone can trick you into thinking their website is real. I listed several tips for testing the credibility in that section of my blog. Two main things should be evaluated: credibility and relevancy. Once it is established that the site is credible, we need to make sure it is relevant and relates to what we are searching for.
Sometimes students might not know the valuable and educational resources that are on the web. For example, there are many scientific experiments or inquiry questions that are ready to be explored. Students can access these sites to see certain scientific controversies or explore scientific current events.
As most of us know, the number and varieties of technology are endless. Students can now browse the Internet on their phones, ipods, etc. Instead of viewing this as a negative thing, we must embrace the positives and somehow incorporate them into the classroom. We should start teaching students at a young age how to browse and explore the web. If they know how to use the Internet effectively, their opportunities for learning are endless.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Digital Book Talk
This task was interesting and enjoyable. I chose a book that I bought on vacation last year in North Carolina. It has beautiful illustrations and a very cute story that could even be incorporated into a science lesson.
The hardest part in the beginning was deciding what tool to use to present the booktalk. I decided to use VoiceThread because I felt like it would be a good way to present pictures with a voice over. VoiceThread is a tool that I personally will use in the future to introduce things such as books or even allow children to create stories of their own. Therefore, I believe that is the value in completing this task. All of the things we are doing in class so far are definitely tools that can be used later on. Technology seems like such a scary word to a lot of people but in reality, technology can be effectively used in the classroom if we have an attitude of willingness and excitement to learn and implement these strategies. The assignment was not extremely challenging, but I did spend time recording the voice over. I had to record each section several times so it was clear and audible without mistakes. Frustration occurred several times when I was trying to figure small things out such as how to add music or how to make the pictures zoom in and out. I tried but could not figure out how to add these details. I plan on asking someone who has used VoiceThread before or researching a more in-depth tutorial online.
The hardest part in the beginning was deciding what tool to use to present the booktalk. I decided to use VoiceThread because I felt like it would be a good way to present pictures with a voice over. VoiceThread is a tool that I personally will use in the future to introduce things such as books or even allow children to create stories of their own. Therefore, I believe that is the value in completing this task. All of the things we are doing in class so far are definitely tools that can be used later on. Technology seems like such a scary word to a lot of people but in reality, technology can be effectively used in the classroom if we have an attitude of willingness and excitement to learn and implement these strategies. The assignment was not extremely challenging, but I did spend time recording the voice over. I had to record each section several times so it was clear and audible without mistakes. Frustration occurred several times when I was trying to figure small things out such as how to add music or how to make the pictures zoom in and out. I tried but could not figure out how to add these details. I plan on asking someone who has used VoiceThread before or researching a more in-depth tutorial online.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Website Creditability
Determining the creditability of a website is something that every person should know how to do, especially since the use of Internet is so prevalent in our society today. Throughout my years of schooling, several people have told and showed me how to evaluate websites to see if the information they are providing is credible. I did some research on my own and found a few tips when looking at websites (ehow.com). The first clue is to look at the URL address of the site. If it ends in .gov, .us, or a state abbreviation it is reliable. We must be careful with the other endings such as .com and .org. The next thing I would tell students is to look for the ~ symbol. This means that the website was created by an individual. Sites created by individuals can sometimes contain false information so we need to be careful with this type. One of the big things to check when searching on the web is the date the website was published. If the information is really old, it probably won't be as accurate as a newer site. Another thing to check is the contact information listed. Sites that are credible usually contain some type of contact and resources. A question I would tell students to ask themselves is "what is the purpose of the site?" Is it asking for money or just providing information? The final recommendation is to read the information provided and see if it is some one's opinion or if they are actually giving factual information. Overall, once people become familiar with a proper website, the overall feel and look will also give hints to the credibility (we still need to be careful when they "look good").
A good way for students to practice determining the credibility of a website is by looking at websites themselves with the intention of finding out if it is a good resource for information. For example, I could use sites such as The First Human Male Pregnancy and Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division as examples of non realistic websites to use. Clearly, males do not get pregnant so that is our first clue that the website is not credible. At first glance, DihydrogenMonoxide Research Division might look somewhat decent, but in the top right hand corner it asks for monetary donations. However, it does have a contact link that sends you directly to the congress site. In my opinion, this website is not credible, however it could be tricky to tell for some people. As I started to look at the other websites on the list, I thought some of them looked fairly credible. However, as I explored the sites, I found that all of them had flaws or false facts.
Martin Luther King Jr. - A True Historical Examination clearly has some content issues. I believe it is a racist site judged by the content I saw. If you click on the Rap Lyrics section, you would be appalled at the things written. I was skeptical about Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus and Dog Island Free Fever from the moment I clicked on the site. I'm not even really sure what the site is because I've never heard of the Northwest Tree Octopus. The URL address also looked a little weird. Have you ever wished there was an island where your dogs could go and live free and wild? If so, Dog Island Free Forever has what you are looking for. On this site, I would encourage students to look for the purpose. Once they begin looking, they will hopefully find that this is not a real place and the information is not reliable. The final site I reviewed, All About Explorers, had me fooled for a few minutes. It looked very professional and credible from the looks of the home page. I started to explore the site and clicked on Explorers A to Z and then clicked on Christopher Columbus. The very first sentence said he was born in 1951 which is very false. This site might include some factual information, but there is also a mixture of false facts.
All About Explorers would be a good site to use when trying to teach students how to determine the credibility of a site. I could have them look through the pages to see if they found anything wrong. The first time they look, they might not notice some of the small flaws. Therefore it would be a good teaching opportunity to show them that we have to be really careful even when the source looks nice and presentable.
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A good way for students to practice determining the credibility of a website is by looking at websites themselves with the intention of finding out if it is a good resource for information. For example, I could use sites such as The First Human Male Pregnancy and Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division as examples of non realistic websites to use. Clearly, males do not get pregnant so that is our first clue that the website is not credible. At first glance, DihydrogenMonoxide Research Division might look somewhat decent, but in the top right hand corner it asks for monetary donations. However, it does have a contact link that sends you directly to the congress site. In my opinion, this website is not credible, however it could be tricky to tell for some people. As I started to look at the other websites on the list, I thought some of them looked fairly credible. However, as I explored the sites, I found that all of them had flaws or false facts.
Martin Luther King Jr. - A True Historical Examination clearly has some content issues. I believe it is a racist site judged by the content I saw. If you click on the Rap Lyrics section, you would be appalled at the things written. I was skeptical about Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus and Dog Island Free Fever from the moment I clicked on the site. I'm not even really sure what the site is because I've never heard of the Northwest Tree Octopus. The URL address also looked a little weird. Have you ever wished there was an island where your dogs could go and live free and wild? If so, Dog Island Free Forever has what you are looking for. On this site, I would encourage students to look for the purpose. Once they begin looking, they will hopefully find that this is not a real place and the information is not reliable. The final site I reviewed, All About Explorers, had me fooled for a few minutes. It looked very professional and credible from the looks of the home page. I started to explore the site and clicked on Explorers A to Z and then clicked on Christopher Columbus. The very first sentence said he was born in 1951 which is very false. This site might include some factual information, but there is also a mixture of false facts.
All About Explorers would be a good site to use when trying to teach students how to determine the credibility of a site. I could have them look through the pages to see if they found anything wrong. The first time they look, they might not notice some of the small flaws. Therefore it would be a good teaching opportunity to show them that we have to be really careful even when the source looks nice and presentable.
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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Exit Slip
Today, my knowledge of technology grew. One topic/tool that I enjoyed learning about was a new way to present material; by using programs such as Prezi. PowerPoint is a tool I have used over and over and using something different will challenge me but will also aid in my future presentations. I am interested to search the web to see what other resources are available.
It was also interesting and informative to discuss chapter one of our textbook. Meaningful learning is something each of us should promote in our future classrooms. The Technology Integration Matrix is a resource that gives good examples of how to incorporate technology when there are computers available for each student and also when there is only one computer for a group of students. I can use the lessons provided in the future and modify them where I believe they need to be modified. It was also helpful to view them to see if the students were learning with technology or from technology.
Once again, I learned new things this week that I will hopefully carry into my future teaching career. I am excited and nervous for the upcoming tasks I need to complete for this course, but with hard work and a positive attitude I think I can make it through! :)
It was also interesting and informative to discuss chapter one of our textbook. Meaningful learning is something each of us should promote in our future classrooms. The Technology Integration Matrix is a resource that gives good examples of how to incorporate technology when there are computers available for each student and also when there is only one computer for a group of students. I can use the lessons provided in the future and modify them where I believe they need to be modified. It was also helpful to view them to see if the students were learning with technology or from technology.
Once again, I learned new things this week that I will hopefully carry into my future teaching career. I am excited and nervous for the upcoming tasks I need to complete for this course, but with hard work and a positive attitude I think I can make it through! :)
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Reflecting on Chapter 1
What is the focus in the school system today? As I read and think about the activities promoted in classrooms, I wonder if the focus is on true "meaningful learning" or learning and knowing how to take tests. The book describes meaningful learning as "willingness to be engaged in a meaningful task" (p. 2). If we provide students with opportunities to be engaged and think critically in the classroom, those skills should hopefully transfer when they do have to take a standardized test. When the material is interesting and means something to the students, they are usually more interested and will learn and remember the information for a longer period of time. Unlike standardized tests, children do care about technology and issues surrounding the topic (as we can see through the Growing Up Online video). Learning can take place just about anywhere and children need to understand this concept. However, in order to learn we must be active and engaged with the material or task that we are presented with.
In my personal life, I am the type of person that likes to "go and do" all the time. Sometimes, though, it is important for me to just sit down and reflect on what's going on in my life. The same is true for the classroom. Students need to be active and have opportunities to be involved in learning, but the learning process also requires reflection on what was learned. It was good for me to read this idea in the chapter because I need to be reminded how important this aspect is and how it can help myself as well as my students. Three other parts of meaningful learning, as stated by Jonassen et al. are intentional, authentic, and cooperative. Each individual's learning should be directed toward a certain goal and should represent understanding. In addition, students should hone in on specific topics that they can learn about and eventually transfer the knowledge about the topic in other situations. One thing I have leared so far in my pursuit of becoming an elementary teacher is that students learn from eachother; therefore, collaboration is key in the classroom. Children need to converse and talk things out and we should never hinder this from happening. In the future, I plan on allowing students to work in partners, groups, and individually. The diversity will keep students on their feet and they will have experience with many different ways to learn.
In this class, I am excited to learn how technology is used in the classroom and how it is beneficial for students. This chapter provided me with information on that specific subject. In the past, students were required to learn "the information presented by the technology" (p. 6). Now the focus is more on learning with technology. We can use technology to organize thoughts, comparing, representing beliefs/ideas, and to do many more things. I believe my thoughts about technology will change throughout this course as I learn practical ways to use the tool. I've always known that technology is an important part of our socitey, but it is even better to know how and why it is important.
In my personal life, I am the type of person that likes to "go and do" all the time. Sometimes, though, it is important for me to just sit down and reflect on what's going on in my life. The same is true for the classroom. Students need to be active and have opportunities to be involved in learning, but the learning process also requires reflection on what was learned. It was good for me to read this idea in the chapter because I need to be reminded how important this aspect is and how it can help myself as well as my students. Three other parts of meaningful learning, as stated by Jonassen et al. are intentional, authentic, and cooperative. Each individual's learning should be directed toward a certain goal and should represent understanding. In addition, students should hone in on specific topics that they can learn about and eventually transfer the knowledge about the topic in other situations. One thing I have leared so far in my pursuit of becoming an elementary teacher is that students learn from eachother; therefore, collaboration is key in the classroom. Children need to converse and talk things out and we should never hinder this from happening. In the future, I plan on allowing students to work in partners, groups, and individually. The diversity will keep students on their feet and they will have experience with many different ways to learn.
In this class, I am excited to learn how technology is used in the classroom and how it is beneficial for students. This chapter provided me with information on that specific subject. In the past, students were required to learn "the information presented by the technology" (p. 6). Now the focus is more on learning with technology. We can use technology to organize thoughts, comparing, representing beliefs/ideas, and to do many more things. I believe my thoughts about technology will change throughout this course as I learn practical ways to use the tool. I've always known that technology is an important part of our socitey, but it is even better to know how and why it is important.
Growing Up Online: Scary or Normal?
As I started to watch Growing Up Online for the second time (previously viewed in another technology class) my heart began to break for the students and individuals who have the desire to live and create and live different personalities on the internet. On the video, students talked about technology and explained that "everybody uses it" and also explained how they can have a different persona than they do in real life. I think a big part of the online excitement for young individuals might be that they can do things without anyone looking or watching; such as their parents or teachers. Have we created a society where children, teenagers, and adults alike are unable to show their true character and personalities?
Schools are constantly struggling with the issue of being engaging and interactive enough for students that come from such a technological generation. Even though this video is disturbing, it also makes people aware of the current situation. If we are aware, then we can do something about it. As a teacher, I will make sure my students are informed about the dangers as well as the positive aspects of the internet. Students often claim that they participate in things online such as verbal abuse or relationships because it gives them "something to do." This is when we as teachers need to intervene and show them how to use technology responsibly.
I do not want to be deemed the over-protective mother/teacher who will not let her children participate in anything without being monitored, but I also do not want to be the one who has a child or student that commits suicide because of an internet related cause.
I know, and completely understand that technology is something present in our culture today that we must embrace. Students are doing everything from surfing the web, chatting, texting, gaming, etc. and I as a teacher must be able to learn these technologies and teach students the proper way to use them.
Schools are constantly struggling with the issue of being engaging and interactive enough for students that come from such a technological generation. Even though this video is disturbing, it also makes people aware of the current situation. If we are aware, then we can do something about it. As a teacher, I will make sure my students are informed about the dangers as well as the positive aspects of the internet. Students often claim that they participate in things online such as verbal abuse or relationships because it gives them "something to do." This is when we as teachers need to intervene and show them how to use technology responsibly.
I do not want to be deemed the over-protective mother/teacher who will not let her children participate in anything without being monitored, but I also do not want to be the one who has a child or student that commits suicide because of an internet related cause.
I know, and completely understand that technology is something present in our culture today that we must embrace. Students are doing everything from surfing the web, chatting, texting, gaming, etc. and I as a teacher must be able to learn these technologies and teach students the proper way to use them.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Digital Autobiography
Working with pictures, music, and text is something I really enjoy. Therefore, I was excited when we were asked to create a "digital autobiography" of our life, or an event in our life. I decided to call my presentation "Life with friends & family." Being with the people in my pictures makes life exciting and enjoyable. We laugh, cry, and do ministry together and I believe the Lord brings people in our lives to do these things with.
The hardest part of the task was deciding which pictures to use. Anyone who knows me knows that I always have my camera and constantly take pictures, so I had a lot to choose from! That is probably where I put the most effort in. This assignment is a way for us to get to know our classmates a little better. I believe it allows each individual to show some of their personality and character.
I would potentially use programs like this in the future to introduce myself to my students and/or their parents. It's a unique way for them to learn about my life and then the students could create a presentation on their own (depending on the grade level). The program I used, Roxio, was not very hard to use and would be easy to teach in the classroom.
The hardest part of the task was deciding which pictures to use. Anyone who knows me knows that I always have my camera and constantly take pictures, so I had a lot to choose from! That is probably where I put the most effort in. This assignment is a way for us to get to know our classmates a little better. I believe it allows each individual to show some of their personality and character.
I would potentially use programs like this in the future to introduce myself to my students and/or their parents. It's a unique way for them to learn about my life and then the students could create a presentation on their own (depending on the grade level). The program I used, Roxio, was not very hard to use and would be easy to teach in the classroom.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
First day knowledge
Today I learned several new things relating to the world of technology. From the video we watched with the children, I saw how children really view technology and how it can help them learn. I still believe it is hard for some children to experience technology at home, but I hope to give children experience with this in my classroom.
I also gained information about social bookmarking and how it can help me in the future. I can share lesson plans, ideas, etc. with my peers and hopefully use some of their resources as well. Sometimes I become overwhelmed when it comes to technology and all that it entails, but I am excited to learn how to use new resources this semester.
I also gained information about social bookmarking and how it can help me in the future. I can share lesson plans, ideas, etc. with my peers and hopefully use some of their resources as well. Sometimes I become overwhelmed when it comes to technology and all that it entails, but I am excited to learn how to use new resources this semester.
What is technology’s role in teaching and learning?
I believe technology is very important in our world today. With that being said, it is also an important (some people believe imperative) part of teaching and learning. When I was in elementary school, I do not remember using much technology and to be honest I do not see technology being used in the classrooms I volunteer in today. I’ve heard a lot about technology in the past few years at the University of Florida, but have not seen it put to practice all that often. I believe that technology can aid in the process of teaching and learning, but I would actually like to see examples of this.
One thing that scares me about technology is that it’s constantly changing. My fear is that I will learn technology available today, but then something new will come along and I might be lost. However, I am willing to learn these new technologies and teach them in my future classroom!
One thing that scares me about technology is that it’s constantly changing. My fear is that I will learn technology available today, but then something new will come along and I might be lost. However, I am willing to learn these new technologies and teach them in my future classroom!
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