15) Final Post

I did my presentation tonight and I think it went very well.  I love Roman architecture and engineering and I'm glad I was able to share that with the class.

As for my final post, I would like to reflect on class a little.  I thought that this class was extremely easy.  I came into this course already extremely familiar and comfortable with most of the technologies we went over in class.  I think this class, at least for me, could have been done as an online course.  However, I do feel as though this class would be beneficial for others who are not familiar with these technologies.  I still would like to say that I had a blast being in class with Prof. Schaff and I am still glad I took this course.

14) First round of presentations -12/2

On Monday in class we watched the first group of students present their lessons.  I thought it was really fun.  To be honest, I was expecting to be bored the entire time, but all of the presenters did an excellent job involving the class in the lesson.  I also find iut very interesting to watch the teaching styles of other educators.  Just like our students, no teacher is the same either, and we can all learn valuable information and methods from one another.  All of the presenters did a good job covering the content, and I could tell they all seemed to put a lot of effort into their presentations.  Overall, I really enjoyed watching the presentations this week and I look forward to seeing others next week.  I just hope my presentation goes well next week too!

13) Thanksgiving break

Over Thanksgiving break I made my non-linear PowerPoint presentation for our final project for class.  I chose to make my presentation on the architecture and engineering of the Ancient Romans.  Hopefully the class will enjoy it when I present next Monday.  This is an actual presentation I plan to use with my students next week as well when we begin to cover the Ancient Romans.  More to come after the presentation!

12) Podcasts

I have used Podcast for a few years now.  I listen to music podcasts through iTunes and I listen to sports podcasts through ESPN all the time.  I think they are a great way of recieving information or listening to music on the go.  I often listen to sports podcasts while doing work.  This allows me to get the information I want while not being distracted by tv.  I hope to incorporate podcasting into my lessons in the future once my freshmen students get accustomed to using our online school technologies.

I have, however, seen podcasting used effectively in classrooms before.  One teacher I worked with last year would commonly sync powerpoint presentations with podcasts on his website so students could complete homework assignments, review lessons, study, or make up missed class notes.  He also often added questions as part of homework assignments.  prompting questions and letting them know when to pause the video to answer.  Another great way he used it was to create lessons for substitutes.  This way, the students still recieved the same lesson and content even though he was not there.

I think podcasts can be a great tool, if used effectively.  If you just talk or read and have the students listen, some cannot learn that way.  You need to use podcasts as a tool with other resources to make them effective.  When done right, they become an excellent classroom tool.

11) Teacher Websites

Every educator needs to build and maintain his or her own teacher/classroom Website. Period.

Efficiency: A teacher Website helps gain more teaching time.  When hyperlinks on that page are connected to high-quality resources, the students quickly become used to getting to the classroom page and moving on to the resources they need.

Resources: By placing hyperlinks relevant resources on the classroom Website, teachers not only speed up access to materials but can also increase all students' access to high-quality curriculum materials that directly support content.  Though placing resources on your Website is no guarantee that students will use them independently, it is definitely a step toward doing all that can be done to support all learners.

Relevance: Students will come to see the Internet as a personally relevant extension of school.  This is because the Internet is already an extension of so much of their personal life, failing to establish a classroom component on the Internet can marginalize the perceived importance of school.

Connection: Students come to see their teachers as connected.  In our culture today, if you're not online, you're not relevant... the Internet is that important.

Access: The teacher is the most valuable resource in the classroom, so we must provide greater access through the inclusion of an email address, a phone number, a contact form, or other communication tools, students and their families gain extended access to their teachers.

Experience: Students will gain experience using digital resources in direct support of which is definitely a needed 21st century life skill, seeing as virtually all professions now use the Internet in some way, shape, or form.

Moral of the story: MAKE A WEBSITE!!!!! NOW!!

10) iPad and Apps in the classroom

Research shows that using technology in the classroom increases student learning and engagement.  iPad's and iPhone's offer classroom apps that can meet the instructional needs for all students.
Almost all of the apps can be considered fun and visually appealing.  One App I wrote about for class was "Human Body".  Apps such as this one are fun to play and keep students actively engaged by awesome graphics and sound effects.  These apps are designed to keep student's interest, while providing educational material.  With enticing graphics and hands-on animated fun, students tend to forget they are even learning.
As we all know, each student is unique and learns in their own way.  Like Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theory states, every child has different learning styles.  Effective learning apps appeal to all learners; visual, auditory, tactile, musical,etc.
The great thing about using apps to promote student learning, is that students can work at their own pace.  This will eliminate a lot of the stress that some students have when they see their classmates advancing before them.
The best educational apps are interactive.  These hands-on apps are fun and encourage students to want to learn.  Students can build and develop important skills that are necessary for their education all while they are being entertained.  Providing students with interactive applications to assist in their learning can be a very effective teaching tool.
I am all for using iPads and Apps in the classroom, but just like any other technological tool, they must be used effectively to have a positive outcome on student learning and engagment.

9) Microsoft Excel

What you need to know about Microsoft Excel:

It provides a visual representation of data that makes it easier to analyze.

Excel reduces the difficulty of plotting data and allows students a means for interpreting the data.

Excel can easily convert any chart or data set into a web page, making it very easy to share information among groups.

Excel's ability to dynamically generate charts and graphs in seconds makes it easy to quickly demonstrate relationships between numbers

As a teaching tool, students can see how different types of graphs and charts can be used to represent the same series of data.

One of the best things is that you can use Excel to create timelines and seating charts.  It is not just a tool for numbers.

 

However, many students have little prior Excel experience and for that matter, any application similar to Excel.  It is one of the more difficult Microsoft tools to use and it would be beneficial to include Excel into a K-12 program in such a way that no one grade level/subject area is solely responsible for introducing students to Excel.  It would be good to start using the basic functions of this program with students.

 

The bottom line is there is no doubt that, used proactively and effectively, applications like Microsoft Excel can enhance a learning environment.  It can help students look past crunching numbers and really start to interpret data and organize thier materials.  But just like any other program, once you start using these types of applications in your teaching, don't forget to look back and ask yourself if this is making your teaching better.  Technology is a lot of things, but it shouldn't take the place of well-polished, traditional methods of teaching and learning.  It is meant to enhance teaching and learning, not replace it.

8) Research Paper

I wrote my paper on how technology is transforming education, with specific focus on Web 2.0, Social Media, and Blogging.  The best way to summarize what I wrote about in my paper is to read part of my introduction:  As humans, the greatest trait we possess is the ability to be able to adapt to the constant changes around us.  The same should be said about education.  The times are rapidly changing as are our methods of communication and the environment we work in.  So it only makes sense that our education system adapts and changes with our society.  Technology is an extremely important aspect of our society today and in order for our education system to stay afloat and succeed, we must bring that technology into our classrooms.  Technology is not a fad.  Whether everyone likes using technology or not, it is definitely here to stay and its prevalence and importance in our world will only continue to grow as time goes on.  It does not matter if a teacher or an administrator agrees with technology being used in the classroom.  Education is and always will be about the students, and if technology in the classroom engages them and helps them relate more to the content, then who are we to deny them that opportunity.  There is no doubt that technology is transforming education, and there are major components of technology in the classroom that are revolutionizing the way we teach and learn.  This is where I dive into talking about Web 2.0, Social Media, and Blogging.  Basically, I talk about how Web 2.0 is changing the way we use the internet and how it can be utilized in the classroom.  That leads into the sections on social media and blogging.  I discuss ways that social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter could be used in the classroom and then how blogging can be used as a writing and reflective tool in the classroom as well.  I also warn that in order to be effective, they must be used correctly.  To end my paper I stated:  Generations of students in schools now and students to come will rely on technology as part of their everyday lives and it is time to bring that technology into the classroom and to the forefront of education.  Technology is here to stay and it is all around us.  Of course critics will argue that every type of technology related educational tool has a chance for problems to occur, but they are worth that risk.  The benefits of technology in education will always outweigh the issues.  Web 2.0, Social Media, and Blogging in the classroom create tremendous possibilities for education.   If incorporated into the classroom effectively, these technological tools will engage our learners, revolutionize the way we teach, and transform the future of education.

7) "How Hard Can This Be?"

The purpose of the video “How Difficult Can This Be,” was to teach people who often deal with children with learning disabilities what it feels like to be learning disabled. It also gave some insight into many misconceptions about learning disabilities.

Those with learning disabilities are not intellectually disabled, emotionally disturbed, or those with little opportunity or drive to learn. Learning disabilities are not just a school problem.  They are struggles that affect every aspect of the lives of those who have them.  These people deal with frustration, anxiety, and tension every single day.  They are not out to disrupt class or to cause problems for their families at home.  Because children with learning disabilities have trouble processing information, the regular pace of a class may be too fast for them.  When asked a question, immediately the mainstream children begin to process the answer; however, the child with a learning disability is still processing the question.  The result from this is that the child may seem disruptive in the classroom.  If you know that a child has difficulties, try to work out a system that they may be comfortable with.  If you call on the child, try to make sure that you are asking a question you are sure the child can answer.

In all honestly, however, this video taught me nothing that I already didn’t know about having a learning disability.  Why is that?  Simple; I am an individual with learning disabilities.  For my entire academic career I have had to work with both of my learning disabilities.  These include ADD and Dysgraphia; which is a processing disorder in which my brain processes information faster than it allows my hand to receive it.  Teamed together, these disabilities were often lethal through middle and high school.  By having trouble paying attention while also not being able to keep up with writing down notes often worked against me in class.

Still, despite my struggles I was able to be successful and learn to work with my learning disabilities, not have them work against me.  You need to remember that a child with a learning disability has to deal with their difficulties day in and day out.  There are 3 major things you must remember when working with a child with a learning disability; these are things I’ve learned first-hand as a student with learning disabilities and as an educator working with them.

1.      Remember that the greatest gift you can give a child with learning disabilities is time.  School can be frustrating and often causes a great deal of anxiety and tension.  Don’t stress them out more than they already are.  Give them ample time to answer and let them know when they are going to be prompted for an answer so they have time to prepare.

2.      Remember that these children often do not understand what they are doing wrong.  Do not tell them to look harder, bribe them to get an answer, threaten them by telling them that you will take privileges away, or blame them for their behavior by telling them they are not trying hard enough.

3.      Never put a child with learning disabilities under pressure because it does not help.  Do not tell them that the task they are struggling with is easy because it may not be for them.

The only true way to understand a student with learning disabilities is to have been a student with learning disabilities.  This is why I relate to them so well as a special education teacher.

6) Visual Learners

Going through school, I was always a visual learner.  I had a hard time understanding directions given that were more than two steps, and as a result I was always looking around the room to see what everyone else was doing.  That is how I got most of my instructions.  When it came to work, I could answer questions about a picture, movie, graph, timeline, map, political cartoon, etc., but if you asked me to read and then answer questions it was a completely different story.  These are key characteristics of a visual learner.  Over the years I have worked with many visual learners and since I am one of them, it is simpler for me to accommodate to their needs.

Some strategies for teaching visual learners include:

1. Provide students with a general outline of the material to be covered before a lesson.
2. Oral directions with more than two steps should be displayed somewhere on the board.
   
3. If class notes are extensive, hand out a copy of the notes.
   
4. Use any of the following with each lesson: flip boards, photos, diagrams, laminated pictures that can be used with group assignments, power point presentations, charts, maps, movies, filmstrips, timelines, YouTube clips, etc.
   
5. Have students construct their own flashcards and illustrate them.
6. Create lessons where students can utilize computers.  WebQuests, brochures, interactive lessons, online games, online textbooks, etc. to provide greater visual exposure and practice.
   
7. Use the computer in the classroom to construct mind maps or webbing of the material. The student can see the material and manipulate it at the same time.
   
8. Use concepts maps with key points, boxes, circles, and arrows showing the connections of information such as Inspiration 9.1. Webbing provides the connections that visual learners must have.
9. Give a face to a name and an illustration to an event.
10. When doing oral questions and answers in the classroom, allow adequate wait time before calling on students. This is very important for the visual learner who must retrieve visual images before formulating an answer. If you give them time to determine what you are asking, they will have greater success.

All of these strategies can be used when working with visual learners.  Not only does making your lessons visually appealing aid visual learners, but it can be fun and engaging for the entire class!  However, like anything else in education, repetition of the same visual aids can make things boring.  Therefore, these strategies can be successful, but only if you use them properly!

5) WebQuests

I have used WebQuests a few times before in the past with mostly success.  A WebQuest is an inquiry-orientated activity/lesson format that uses links to essential resources on the internet and an authentic learning task to motivate students to investigate of a series of central, open ended questions.  A well designed WebQuest uses the power of the internet and a scaffolding learning process to turn research based theories into learning centered practices.

In my personal experience, I have had both negative and positive outcomes while working with WebQuests.  First off, the negative.  WebQuests can take a considerable amount of class time, especially when students can’t get access from home.  Students can get bored doing the same thing with the content, especially if they are just reading it and then writing answers down in a packet.  Also, students can get very easily distracted using the web.

However, when it comes to any sort of technology in the classroom, the positives generally out-weigh the negatives.  For example, WebQuests are a good educational tool because they are not simply research tasks. They allow the development of individual knowledge and develop it more into a more sophisticated knowledge, helped by the online delivery.  It improves their knowledge of the content as they construct their own knowledge by researching the topic themselves.  In some cases some students just weren’t interested, but if the students were doing a good, well-developed, and engaging WebQuest, it is much more beneficial.  Good WebQuests pose open-ended questions. The process is well explained to the students and everything is explained in step format, so students understand what they’re to do and what’s required of them.  Students assume a role that allows them to investigate an issue through their views, which makes the students more responsible for their own learning and therefore allows them to construct a deeper understanding of the content.  Plus, it’s something different. Students get to use technology, which they LOVE, and they can go at their own pace.

It really doesn't matter what topic we discuss, as long as it is technology related it has the chance to fail or succeed in the classroom.  However, technology is the greatest tool at our disposal.  Whether it be Word, PowerPoint, WebQuests, Podcasts, etc. as long as you know how to you them properly and effectively, your lessons can always be fresh and engaging!

4) Using PowerPoint in the Classroom

In today’s classroom, Microsoft PowerPoint has become one of the most popular tools of choice for giving presentations.  If you have ever used Microsoft PowerPoint, it is easy to tell that it was developed with ease of use in mind.  All of the templates and tools are right at your fingertips and pictures and media files are easy to add in order to help you construct your presentation and make it more engaging.  However, there are many advantages and disadvantages to using PowerPoint.

Many students love visual aides because it helps them put an image to an idea. If you are standing in front of a class describing your thoughts, showing a picture or photo or maybe a short video with the highlighted points helps get your point across and your listeners are likely to sit up and take notice.  By PROPERLY utilizing a tool such as PowerPoint, you can effectively capture your student's attention.

Still, if PowerPoint is NOT used properly, it can become extremely ineffective.  Some teachers assume their PowerPoint presentation will lead the show, but this assumption is a terrible mistake because the program is designed to accentuate your presentation, not replace it.  Slides are best designed to be simple and direct in nature.  It’s also not a good idea to include too many slides because your students will tire of them if they are forced to sit through slide after slide.  The point of the slideshow is to enhance your presentation, not replace your words.  Another downfall of PowerPoint is that some teachers tend to focus too much on the slideshow during their lesson instead of focusing their attention on the class.  Students are not going to be engaged by watching a teacher pay more attention to their slides than them.

Overall, PowerPoint is an effective tool to use in the classroom if you are looking for a technique which will captivate and help engage your students during an otherwise boring lecture.  BUT THIS WILL ONLY WORK IF YOU KNOW HOW TO EFFECTIVLY USE POWERPOINT!  A PowerPoint slideshow may be good bait to use in order to get students to notice your presentation, but it is ultimately your words and your personable approach to the lesson which will be the necessary hook to actually catch their attention and hold on to it.  REMEMBER, POWERPOINT IS MEANT TO BE A VISUAL TO ENHANCE YOUR LESSON, NOT TO REPLACE IT!!!!!

3) Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word offers a number of benefits to any classroom.  It is free, easy to use, and technologically engaging as opposed to the pen and paper.  It also offers as a helpful resource to students who may suffer from learning disabilities relating to fine motor skills.  Plus, features in Microsoft Word can transform a simple work sheet into a fun and engaging activity for all.

Teachers who use notebooks and other paper-based materials for lesson plans may find something as simple as a snow day or a new student can wreak havoc on their written instructions. Instead, Microsoft Word offers a simple way to update instruction plans by simply copying, pasting, overwriting and adding text. Teachers may even reuse instructions and materials from year to year, just changing the date on exams, syllabi and notes, saving themselves the effort of re-creating the materials.

Learning and using Microsoft Word in the classroom doesn't just give students the ability to operate the word processing program. Teachers may take advantage of the fact that a great deal of Word's features, menus and tools are exactly the same in some of the other Microsoft Office suite programs such as Exel, PowerPoint, or Publisher. Using Word in a classroom during one period of time may make instruction of another program easier at a later date. In many cases, students who know Word already know how to perform the basic tasks in most of the other Microsoft Office products.

Therefore, Microsoft Word offers numerous benefits to any classroom.  Not only is it easy to use, it can be fun, engaging, cut costs and time for educators, aid students with disabilities, and help build a knowledge of other Microsoft programs.  Microsoft Word is already a common feature in every classroom.  I use it with my students as well as have them use it at home.  It is a great tool for education and I don't see that changing anytime in the near future.

2) Web 2.0 and Social Media in Today's Classroom

Web 2.0 is a term used to describe web sites that use technology beyond the static pages of earlier HTML web sites. A Web 2.0 site may allow users to interact and collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to websites where people are limited to the passive viewing of content. Examples of Web 2.0 include social networking sites such as Facebook, video sharing sites such as YouTube, blogs, and wikis.

Some critics may argue that Web 2.0 may be harmful in a school environment.  This can be true.  Web 2.0 has many privacy issues involved with it.  Putting personal information about yourself online can always have consequences such as stolen identity and allowing strangers, classmates, even employers to access things, photos, and much more about you that you may not want everyone to see, but they can.  It could also be argued that cyber bullying is on the rise with social media as well.  However, although I have a zero tolerence policy when it comes to bullying, as do schools,  I believe that bullying would have continued to take place in person if it were not for the social media, although it is easier to moniter and recognize outside of social media.

Dispite many of the problems that may come from Web 2.0 in the classroom.  I TRULY believe that the benefits drastically outway the consequences.  To name some, it allows for more authentic assessments based on student's skills, it is cost efficient, it stimulates new modes of inquiry, it creates new opportunities for collaborative learning, it allows students to engage in new literacies, it allows students to engage in new media, it encourages proficiency in publication of content and creates a sense of ownership, audience engagement, peer assessment, and informal learning.  But most of all, in an educational environment that can sometimes be very dry, Web 2.0 and the use of social media in the classroom increase student engagment and participation and help connect content to the lives of students and the world around us.  It is a great tool and skill to use and it helps prepare students for life outside of the classroom as well.

We live in a technological age!  Technology is here to stay and it is all around us!  Every type of educational tool has a chance for problems to occur, but this is worth that risk!  The benefits outway the issues and I say bring on Web 2.0 and social media in schools and you won't regret the tremendous outcomes that will follow!  Not only for your students, but for the future of education as well!

1) Welcome!

Welcome to my Edu Tech Fall 2013 Blog!