Reflective blog post Chapter #Final

This semester in Eme2040 was such a great learning experience for me. I've always depended on my husband to do everything technology related for me. So this class has really opened my eyes to great technology tools for teaching and that I can use at home on a regular basis. I really enjoyed this class because it was so hands on and everything that I needed on a project was laid out so there wasn’t any misunderstanding of what was needed from me.

In EME2040 we had some really good assignments that I could use in the classroom when I become a teacher. This class has really put me in the right direction of becoming a 21^st century teacher. The assignment I was most eager to learn  was the blog post. I’ve always liked writing and a blog post was something that I always wanted to do. Throughout the semester we wrote a blog about three concepts from each chapter we were reading. We would reflect on what we had learned and we could explore more on the concepts we read about that interest us. Today I can not only write an informative and reflective blog but I can hyperlink and insert some great videos and images and other great 2.0 tools into my blog. We also had discussions which allowed us to see are classmate’s opinions and give feedback on what they posted. I really liked the class because it was smaller than most classes that I have taken. If I had any questions about assignments they were answered in class or by email. We did a few group projects a collaborative lesson plan and an instructional strategies wiki. Group projects aren’t my favorite thing to do but it gave me an opportunity to work with others who I normally wouldn’t work with. One thing that I liked was the teacher got us moving, if the class seemed tired she got us up and in the middle of the classroom to get our blood flowing. Using GPS and finding clues around campus were some other great things we did in the class.

 One assignment that I found difficult was the website evaluation rubric. I found this assignment hard because you were determining what was good about website and what was bad. Then you would make your rubric and rate that website. I tried really hard on this assignment reading the teacher rubric on what she wanted and going back on what she said in class about what makes a good website. I got an A on this assignment and really liked this assignment because as a teacher you’re going to be grading students work if you don’t have a rubric on what you want or expect how would you be able to give out grades based on work. So although challenging for me it was also a great learning experience for me.

We also learned about Web Quest which I really liked and I also feel that students in any age range would like to participate in a Web Quest. So knowing the different sections in a web quest and looking at some really good web quests and some bad ones helped determined what we needed in the web quest we would be creating. Another assignment we had and that I liked was the webpage portfolio. It was a portfolio with all the past assignments we did and was a chance for us to imagine what kind of teacher we would like to be. All the assignments I felt was appropriate and really taught me things I didn’t know how to do. A few things we learned that weren’t big assignments but that were informative like legal and ethical issues with copy right laws. Giving credit to photos and forming good habits so we can teach our students to have good habits as well. Cyber bullying and the effects it has on students as they get older and become adults.

Class EME2040 with Ms. Coleman was a great informative class for me. I learned a lot of new tools, vocabulary, and some great websites like delicious that will help me to be a better student and teacher. I really liked the course and think it is laid out well. The only suggestion that I have to improve the course in order to improve my learning would be to make the lesson plan assignment an individual assignment. I got along with my team member but it was hard to find time to meet up and I felt like if I was doing it alone I could have been more creative and it would have been a lesson plan I developed on my own. I have learned so much from this class and  I really liked this class because it gave me a respect and interest for technology that I didn't really have before. 

 photo by: U.S department of Education

Duke Ellington DNG 344Flickr

Resources:

Flickr photo by U.s Department of Education , Duke Ellington (2009,March 11.) Retrieved April 30,2015

Hamilton, P. (2012, November 21). Technology in Education. Retrieved April 30, 2015.

Maloy, R., O’Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

Digital Blog Post #L Chapter 12

Technology is a great tool to interpret into schools today. Although technology can be expensive, things like laptops and tablets are being seen more and more in school. Teachers are trying to find creative ways to integrate technology in the classroom that will make the learning experience more enjoyable and more engaging for students. Three concepts that I found interesting in chapter 12 were Infusion, one to one laptop computing and digital textbooks.

                Infusion means that computers and other information technologies are ongoing features of teaching and learning in all academic subjects at all grade levels. They are a continuing part of the day to day educational experience of students. I liked the concept of infusion because it is allowing students to work with and understand a variety of technology tools. They can select certain tools and use them for a specific purpose on a regular basis.  Student’s regular use of computers will be infused with the classroom daily learning. I think infusion is really good because it gives those tech savvy students a chance to be on the computer and learn new things. Teachers can really choose what technology they want to bring into the classroom. I think in many academic subjects technology can be infused to make a fun learning experience. A teacher’s knowledge of the technology will also increase the interest of students.

     One to one laptop computing means every student in a grade school, or district has her or his own computing device too use in school. The main concept of this is to reduce digital inequalities by providing each student with their own laptops. This cost about 18 million dollars per year. When I was observing in a 8^th grade classroom they had laptops and tablets that they shared among the 8^th grade classes. The students really enjoyed having the laptops to work with for fun games like Kahoot. They also watched a science video on YouTube with Bill the science guy. One concern that was mention in the book about one to one laptop computing was that schools face the challenge of finding the right blend of digital devices because technologies have become more available. I think that laptops will become replaced with tablets and when the new best thing comes out it will replace that. Technology is always changing that’s why students are so fascinated with it.

        Digital textbooks is a dynamic way to integrate computer technology into the teaching of academic material. It is now a national educational policy priority to move away from paper materials to digital textbooks. Many schools carry only a class set of actual hard cover textbooks. Students can now access their textbook online and any course material that goes along with that textbook. Teachers can use a single computer to make digital textbook formats to work successfully.  They don’t have to have a computer for each student. I think digital textbooks can be a good idea especially for those students use to doing most things online. I personally like to have a physical book so I can highlight or take notes, but I think moving into a more digital direction can not only be good for the environment but also allows students to access homework assignments and textbooks anywhere which is great.  

         Technology is something that all teachers can use to make a more creative, interesting and fun learning experience for all students in any grade level or age. I think teachers have to educate themselves on the technology they will use to truly successfully execute their lesson plan. I think Infusion of technology is something we as teachers will see more of and will become like second nature to integrate into teaching. One to One laptops is such a great idea to have to get kids prepared for using computers because that’s what is used in college and at work. Digital textbooks is another great tool for students and teachers assignments and text is all in one place. Technology is always changing and there is so many great tools, apps, software to be used to help students learn and have fun doing it.

Ella bubblus

Resources:

Bubbl.us by Ella Kies

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

TIM: The Technology Integration Matrix | A video resource supporting the full integration of 
technology in Florida schools (Technology Integration Matrix)

http://fcit.usf.edu/matrix/infusion.php

PowerUp - The road toward one-to-one computing. (2014, October 17). Retrieved April 16, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW6NB25ncUY

Chapter 6 Blog post K

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Three concepts that I found interesting in chapter six was Web Quest, Videoconferencing, and virtual schools. Each of these concepts provide an interesting engaging learning experience for the student. As an aspiring teacher some of these tools can come in handy to keep students engaged in the school curriculum.

Web quest are online inquires by students that are designed and guided by teachers. In a Web Quest students follow an electronic map or take an online tour, moving from one web resource to the next to gather information and learn about a specific topic. For a web Quest all the information is digital, students visit sites that are preselected by teachers. Although for teachers designing web quest can be time consuming there are already made Web Quest that teachers can use in their classroom. Web quest are great activities for students to do in groups.

Another interesting concept was videoconferencing which is a feature of Virtual field trips. Videoconferencing can change the learning experience for students. Its offers real time access to people and places that’s students are unable to visit. Interactive videoconferencing requires two computers or large screen television monitors at each site with one or more cameras and a digital projection device. One monitor shows the near site and the other shows the far site. The digital projector lets the visual and printed text to be shown from site to site. Videoconferencing is a feature of virtual field trips because in virtual field trips students visit a place from the comfort of their classroom.

Virtual schools are highly debated because some people don’t like all the online teaching. A virtual school are educational organizations that teach students mainly through online learning. With virtual schools students never go to a real school site everything from class time to exams are all done on computers. Virtual schools mainly attracted home schooled students but now many students with medical conditions or other constraints on mobility, gifted and talented students are taking an interest in these schools.

There is a lot of technology that can be brought into the classroom to provide as an aid to the curriculum. Things like Web Quest gets the students engaged and collaboratively working together. Videoconferencing and virtual tours are great ways to travel and meet new people and see new places without leaving the classroom. Virtual schools are highly debated but are a great and new school that is out there for students that seek a different route an obtaining an education.

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

Digital Blog Post # j Chapter 11

    Engaging students in performance assessment and reflecting learning is a great way to give students learning goals and help them to accomplish these goals throughout the year. Involving technology in performance assessment can help a student become more independent. Three concepts that i thought was interesting in this chapter was digital portfolios, Democratic schools and classrooms, and Pre-assessments.

   Digital portfolios in teacher education has become popular in the last few years. These portfolios helps teachers keep track of educational and professional materials in an electronic format. These portfolios help teachers to see their growth and development over time. It can contain copies of paper material, videos, PowerPoint,photographs and other materials. Its best to start a portfolio as soon as a teacher seeks a teaching license . Teachers can design their portfolio to represent them in many creative ways.Some elements of a portfolio are academics, teaching, talents, and accomplishments.

      Democratic schools and classroom was another interesting concept in chapter 11.  Teachers and students work together to  make substantive decisions about important aspects of educational operations from the curriculum to school climate and rules. The goal of democratic schools like this is to increase student involvement. Students don’t make all the decisions but they do have a say in things. Some people don’t agree with democratic schools or classroom thinking students will not want to learn but focus more on socializing. Democratic schools and classrooms require teacher input as well. The students and teachers have open honest discussions about how their classroom will be operated. The teachers are still in charge in the Democratic classroom and schools.

    Preassesments is one of my favorite concepts in chapter 11, I like preassesments because I feel their really needed in the classroom. Preassessments occur before introducing a new lesson in the classroom. They determine what a student knows before learning anything on the new lesson or topic a teacher will teach. Some examples of a preassessment would be a pretest, writing prompt, questions, or surveys. Preassesments are part of Prior Knowledge –based learning. Which is the idea that when teaching new material the teachers need to connect their lessons to what students already know or have taught.

     Involving technology when seeking a teachers license is something that I  will make sure to do. A digital portfolio is something that I’m going to look into because it is a great way to keep track of  my accomplishments and with a digital portfolio its allot easier to carry around. Democratic schools may not be for every school or classroom but its a neat idea to get students involved with decision making, or even discussing ideas with teachers. Preassessments are something I always like as a student and will continue to like as a teacher. I think its necessary to see what a student knows about a subject instead of assuming that they will know the material.

Digital Blog Post # I Chapter 4

       A teacher’s job is not only to teach the student the content that is required for the student to know. Teachers also designs lesson plans and develop curriculum to teach students. Many teachers integrate technology into all aspects of lesson design and development. Learning assessments, National curriculum framework and electronic grading software are three important tools or concepts that teachers use to help develop lesson plans and curriculum.

         One tool that I really liked was learning assessments they can help teachers to figure out what a student knows. They have summative assessments which summarizes what students have learned at the end of a lesson. Formative which happens during a lesson and Diagnostic which happens before a lesson to see what a student already knows. Learning assessments can help a teacher to evaluate student knowledge, understanding and performance. Some great technology tools to assist with learning assessments is electronic test and quizzes, digital portfolios, and grade keeping software. I observed in a first grade class and the teacher did a quick learning assessment after the lesson to see if the students understood what she was teaching and to figure out what areas were hard for the students and to give more time to focus on those areas.

         Another concept is the national curriculum frameworks or learning standards which guide teachers on what to teach. In Florida we have the Florida state standards, I thought this was really important because as a teacher there are certain things we have to teach. National curriculum standards is basically an outline on what to teach. It has certain topics and skills that a student most learn in that grade level but it still leaves the teacher room to teach the content how she wants. Which a lot of teachers don’t seem to like the standards because of the testing, but I think as a teacher you have to be flexible and adapt to changes. The national curriculum impacts a teacher lesson plan because there planning their lesson on what the state mandates them to teach.

  Electronic grading software is something teachers didn't really have when I was an elementary and middle school student. I still remember the grade keeping book they had and they would write your name in a column and all your grades next to your name. Now the grading is electronic which makes things easier for teachers. The grading software allows for teachers to quickly calculate and record student’s grades. They have stand-alone software which the teacher personally use and it only keeps tracks of grades or what I've seen in most schools was a record keeping system and that keeps tracks of grades, attendance, teacher correspondence, and supports lesson planning.  It haves the student names and a picture of the student. There are some pros and cons about using electronic grading software, a pro being the amount of time it takes to calculate grading and a con being teachers depending on the software to grade test and not really looking at what students are getting wrong.

   I think that integrating technology in designing lesson plans and developing curriculum is a great thing to do. It can really help with getting things done quicker and staying organize. Learning assessments that are electronic can give the teacher quick feedback on what a student knows, what questions students are getting wrong. The national curriculum framework can be found online for Florida and is a great outline on what teachers need to be teaching at each grade level, and electronic grading software is how most schools take attendance and keep track of a student’s performance. Lesson planning and curriculum development with technology can help you get things done quickly.

tackk

Resources:

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

Tackk created by Ella Kies

Digital Blog Post #H Chapter 9

        Attending different schools this semester for observation hours, I noticed a lot of multimedia Technologies in the classroom. The classroom have gone from just focusing on the teacher to a mixture of lecture and technology based tools. Digital projector, digital video cameras (alphabet books) and concept books are a few tools that I saw in the classroom while observing or as a future teacher would try to incorporate in my teaching style.

       Digital Projectors are seen in most classrooms in 2015 in Collier County. It’s the new technology that took the place of the overhead projector that teachers use to use when I was in school. Multimedia use in education is rising because of the assumption that student learning will be enhanced if more than one mode of learning is used in the classroom. The digital projector is such a great tool for teachers because they can project images or video from the computer onto a large screen or other external viewing surface. How it works is a document camera captures whatever is placed under its lens. Most classes are equipped with this device so teachers don’t have to move it around to different classrooms.

    Another great tool mentioned was Digital video cameras; I’m focusing on alphabet books. I want to teach elementary school, so I thought this was a creative and fun idea for the younger grade levels like kindergarten, first and second grade. An alphabet book is illustrations put into a book to help students learn about vocabulary words, spelling, letter sounds and reading skills. You use the digital video camera to record the students holding up their illustrations of the letter of the alphabet. I really liked this activity because it gives these students a chance to do hands on things and be creative but also bringing in technology so they can have a fun time and learn how to use a video camera.

Another idea that I liked in chapter nine was concept books which ties in with the digital video camera. As a potential teacher that wants to teach in elementary; I thought this was another fun activity for students just beginning to read or English language learners, whom are very common in our schools in Florida. Concept books are made up of photographs that are taken by the student. Giving a child a camera to take a picture of a shape, number, pattern, whatever it may be the possibilities are endless can also help them learn the information and recall it because they form memories. I still recall making a book like this but at the time we didn't have digital cameras we just drew our images and the whole class added a page to the book.

  Multimedia Technologies in the classroom are very common the digital projectors are in the majority of the classrooms. This generations have all grown up with some form of technology so ideas like alphabet books and concept books are great ways to bring technology into the classroom and to bring a new approach to ideas that I’m sure have been around for years. As inspiring teachers I think finding a good balance of lecture and technology will help with engaging students.

created by Ella Kies

Resources:

Kies, E. (2015, March 12). Retrieved from https://www.gliffy.com/go/html5/7498843?app=1b5094b0-6042-11e2-bcfd-0800200c9a66

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

Blog Post # G Chapter 8

     Teachers can communicate and collaborate with social media to reach students like never before. There is so many great tools that can be used to engage students that students are already using. Technology can be a great way to interest students in their homework and in class. Three concepts that I found interesting in this chapter was text speak or digitalk, educational networking, and publishing student work.

      Digitalk or text speak is abbreviated collection of letters, symbols, and numbers. This was interesting to me because I didn't know that this way of talking had a name. I never thought that was text speak or digitalk. I always thought texting was just texting and there was nothing more to it.  Well, I was wrong according to this chapter there is educational research being done. In England they found that use of textism was a positive thing.  I’m like most adults who think digitalk leads to bad writing skills and communication. I hear a lot of teens always using lol or JK as words. The other day at work a customer around 17 years old was looking for a certain item he said can you help me and before I could get to him he then spotted the item he was looking for, he said JK I found it. He used the abbreviated word. I think writing things incorrectly or abbreviated you get into a habit of doing it all the time. I also believe if you can’t spell a word correctly and you abbreviate it all the time you never really learn that correct spelling.

      Educational Networking I thought was a great tool for teachers. Educators use the social networking technology to aid them in educational and professional development. This tool allows teachers to have discussions with other teachers about instruction, curriculum, group editing on projects and writing. Educational networking can also allow teachers to connect with students outside of the classroom by sharing information with student families, electronic communications so students can reach teachers with questions. I liked the educational networking because I've noticed a lot of schools I observed in the teachers all helped each other and spoke with each other about certain students in their class that need more help. They did have some type of system that they could easily email and see what classes each student haves.

   Another great concept that ties in with educational networking was publishing student work. I think publishing students work can be exciting and rewarding for many students that try hard to succeed. I also believe that having an assignment that will be published makes students try harder. I think teacher’s electronic communication systems are great ways to display work. Even the old fashion way of hanging things on the wall makes students proud and happy to see their work on the wall. I think publishing student work is a great way to show them you appreciate them trying hard on an assignment.

    Text speak, educational networking, and publishing student work are interesting concepts that I found in chapter eight. Technology is such a great tool to have in the classroom and with children growing up with technology we will see more students Digi talking. Educational networks are great tools to keep teachers in the loop on educational matters or even having help from other teachers on curriculum or a student’s development. Publishing students work is also a great tool with educational networks giving students anticipation and excitement to know their work will be published.


Wordle



Resources:

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

Wordle created by Ella Kies

Blog Post # F Chapter 10

  Chapter ten was a very informative and important chapter. I think all teachers will have diverse learners. Some might need assistive technology to assist them with connecting with the student and others will need technology to help keep students engaged. Technology doesn't have to be the main focal point of a classroom but it can help to break up textbook time. Three main concepts that I liked in this chapter was Text Reading software, accommodations and electronic spellers and dictionaries.

     Text reading software or text to speech software is such a great tool to have in a classroom.
Especially when English is a second language to some students. A software like this could really be beneficial. I remember when I was younger they actually had an early morning class that started at like 6:30am for students that wanted to learn English and they had a version of this software. It would show the image of a duck. It would pronounce the word duck a few times and ask that you pronounced it out loud as well. I remember kids actually following along and learning English this way. They had different test at the end to see how much you learned and different levels. You weren't giving a grade for this work it was really just a resource for students that really wanted to learn English.

         Electronic spellers and dictionaries is another fun tool for students. Growing up I loved the dictionary. I would read a few pages of the dictionary just to expand my vocabulary. If I didn't know a word I would write it down and look it up in the dictionary. I think tools like this are great for active reading. If a student doesn't know a word in the book they could look it up and have the definition and the way to pronounce it and continue on with reading their book. Electronic spellers are also helpful for students that find spelling to be hard. I know my sister always gets letters backwards so a tool like this could be really helpful for her. There are so many of these devices now a days and they range in price, but can be really resourceful for students of all ages.

       Accommodations I thought was a really important concept in chapter 10. Accommodations to learning shouldn't be modifications for a less substantial educational experience. We should make accommodations for students struggling in certain subject areas. Some accommodations that will keep students still doing the same amount of work as other students might be individual tutoring, educational apps and self-paced exams or even extra time on exams. Another key point of accommodations is the technology we use. Technology offers two key routes in the classroom for diverse learners to easily access key ideas and concepts. First supporting changes in the classroom environment and secondly the delivery of the material in the classroom. Low tech accommodations are inexpensive and are easier to make. Mid- tech involves some digital materials to deliver curriculum, and high tech accommodations introduces changes with bringing in computers and other technologies into the classroom.

      I think these three concepts are wonderful tools to bring into the classroom. Text reading software can benefit English as a second language students, or even young kids just learning how to read and write. Electronic spellers and dictionaries is another tool that is very helpful for children of all ages. I think being a teacher you learn to make some accommodations for students that are struggling. I think as a teacher you have to be flexible and see what works and what doesn't work.

Resources:

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

ToonDoo created by Ella Kies

8512377.pngwww.toondoo.com/public/e/k/i/ekies/toons/cool-cartoon-8512377.png

Blog Post # E Chapter 7

        Technology is really changing the way students learn today. Observing high school classes this week I noticed a lot of teachers depend on technology to help them with their class. I remember being in middle school about 17 years ago and computer class was something new. We didn't know much about the machine or what it could do. I think even now students and teachers don’t really grasp the concepts of what makes up a computer or how it truly even functions.  System Software, application software, and Google earth are three things that I feel many computer users should know a little more about.

       Software is the brain of the computer, it’s made up of a million different codes that tell the computer hardware how to function properly.  In the book it discusses a few different type: system, application, standard, and open- source software. I looked more into software to see if new computers come with software and a lot of them have a startup system installed but they no longer provide a hard copy (discs, c.d) of that start up systems. The system software is responsible for the overall functioning and control of the computer. System software includes operating system, network operating system, database managers and TP monitor. Those systems all communicate with each other to get the computer working properly.

       Application software provides a variety of services, many that digital natives grew up with. Some popular application software that many people will recognize is Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, Norton Antivirus and the list goes on and on. Application software is a set of one or more programs designed to carry out operations for a specific application. There are so many software programs that you can choose from photography, music, if you want to learn Spanish, there are application software for that too. Application software is great but it cannot run itself. It’s dependent on system software to execute.

  A really neat application software is Google earth. Google earth is really neat to bring into the class room because there is really no right or wrong answer for students. It’s really an exploration type of software. Google earth was first released in 2005 as a free web tool. It is made up of photos taken by satellites and aircraft of virtually every location in the world. It’s updated by Google and sometimes you can even see the Google earth car rolling around in the neighborhood. Which I have seen on a few occasions myself.

     System software, application software and Google earth are three important types of software. Without system software any other software would not be able to function. System software is like the foundation of software it haves to be there to make a computer function properly. Application software is all the fun and interesting things we can do on a computer a lot of application software is used in school. Growing up PowerPoint was one of the main application software we used in school. Google earth is a neat type of software that teachers can use in the classroom for many different subjects. Whether it’s for science to explore space, or geography to learn different states or countries. Its great to incorporate software in school giving students great tools to play with.

Resources:

https://magic.piktochart.com/editor/piktochart/4504298#

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

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/T/TP_monitor.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_software

Blog Post # D chapter 5

    Three concepts that I picked to blog about this week from chapter 5 is search engines, electronic note-taking, and free text search. These three concepts are things that I use on a daily or weekly basis or plan to use in the future. I think there all great ideas that have impacted many people lives. Changing the way we receive information. Technology is a great tool to have when searching for information.

           We all use search engines to get information from the internet. I know I use google all the time. Just last week I seen a guy that reminded me of an actor in a movie I seen a long time ago. I couldn’t remember the actor name or any of the movies he had a role in. I asked my mom and sister by describing him and saying he was a 1980 actor, they couldn’t help me and really had no information for me based on what I told them. So I just googled it. I put 1980 actors in the search box and sure enough he popped up, Steve Guttenberg. I really didn’t need to know that information but the technology allows me to get answers to silly questions like that.  I really didn’t look into the real technology behind search engines until I read chapter five. A Search engine is a software program that uses networks of computers to access information from its databases. Its fast and it gives you a ton of sites with information related to whatever you typed in the search box. It’s one of the most popular activities on the internet. I personally use google all the time and I’m pretty good at finding the information I’m searching for.

            Now depending on what you’re looking for you have a few ways to search. A lot of search engines offer three ways to search information on the internet. I personally like free text search also called full text search. But that’s only if I’m looking for random information. Like on celebrities or anything that I’m just browsing for myself. Basically you type something in the search box and it looks for sites that have those words in the title, keyword, and description fields. Then you quickly get thousands of sites with the information you wanted. The only problem with this kind of search is its time consuming. If you have deadlines you would want to do a keyword/exact match search which retrieves only resources that contain that exact word or phrase you put in the search box. I usually do a free text search I personally find my information faster that way. The last way is Boolean search you use the terms AND, OR, and NOT to create more complex queries. I’ve never used this way of searching and actually never heard of it till this chapter.

           My last concept is electronic note taking, at first I thought it was those like receipt scanners that file all documents and stuff, but I was wrong. But I picked this because I thought it was very interesting because you use technology to organize and speed up note taking. Electronic note-taking transfer the work of writing, filing, and organizing to your computer allowing you to just take notes without thinking about anything else. It allows you access to your notes from any electronic device. This type of system is great for teachers who move from different classrooms. I thought it was interesting because a lot of times note taking makes your hand hurts. So I thought it was a neat idea for students who have classes with a lot of note taking. But it’s also great for teachers. There are more and more programs coming out for electronic note taking. I’ve personally never used any I have like a note pad feature on my phone but that is not the same as the electronic note taking that is being discussed in the chapter. I ‘am interested of actually working in one of these programs.

       These three technology terms are a familiarity with the majority of the U.S population. I know that I really enjoy using search engines and the different types of ways you can research information whether it’s for leisure time or because you have a report due. The electronic note taking I have never used but I ‘am intrigued by the system and having your notes and stuff there and available to you whenever you need them. I think these are great things to have as a student or a teacher.

photo credit to: FindYourSearch on Flickr

 















Resources:

Maloy, R., O’Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

Flickr

Digital Blog # C chapter 3

      There was so many informative concepts in chapter 3. This chapter talked a lot about research in the science of learning. How teaching is organized around four different learning theories. How technology can aid with problem solving and critical thinking for students of all ages. One concept that I thought was something important to reflect on was Internet Literacy and its importance for students. I will also reflect on group work and digital citizenship. 

   There is so much stuff on the web these days good and bad. Having students access the web they really need to grasp an understanding that not all things are true. With information literacy and internet literacy they can do just that. Information literate students can go through information and realize the difference between persuasive Information sources, objective sources, and satirical sources. If a student can’t decipher between these they can become overwhelmed. Making it hard for them to be good critical thinkers. Internet literacy branches off of Information literacy. What many students do these things is believe whatever they see on the web. That’s why it’s so important to be internet literate. When a student is internet literate they can go through websites finding real information that is relevant to their assignment.

   Group work was a concept I wanted to talk about because I remember being in middle school and loved when we had group work. For me group work was a time to talk with your friends while getting your work done. I could easily get help on a part of the assignment I didn’t understand. It also made it okay to not understand something because if one person didn’t get it usually more people didn’t get it as well. Technology sets up great opportunities to work in groups. It takes the teacher from being the focal point and lets the students take on different roles. Collaborating with my peers was something that I enjoyed and I know many other students enjoyed doing as well. I wasn’t much of a speaker so I could choose to take notes. “Delegating authority in an instructional task is making students responsible for specific parts of their work”, sociologist Elizabeth Cohen stated. Technology allows group work to initiate a lasting learning experience among peers.

    Digital citizenship extends the concept of citizenship to all aspects of the digital experience. Broken down in 3 parts with a total of nine elements digital citizenship is now an important part of the school curriculum. When you post certain things online it’s subject to copyright protection. Just like other copy right laws of plagiarisms they also extend online as well. As a digital citizen you have the responsibility of being ethical online and rejecting material that may get you in trouble. When students access material online at school teachers have to teach students how to give credit where credit is due and then it’s up to a student to be truthful.

     I think a lot of teachers do fail to teach students the right way site sources and it has become harder for the student, myself as well to find the author or publisher of a website or of different information online. I think we as people have gotten into a nasty habit of taking things online and just putting them wherever we need them without giving a second thought of who created this image, poem, or whatever the case may be. Digital citizenship is our rights to be able to express ourselves online but we also have to have respect for other citizens online and the information they post.  Group work is something I enjoyed as a student growing up. I think with all the new technology the world haves now it’s even a better experience than before. Internet literacy I think is one of the most important concepts I’ve talked about because we as learners and educators have to get educated on online information. It’s not all real or helpful and people are becoming too gullible with research they find online. You have to research the research to make sure its real factual information. 

This was actually in our book about how The university of Connecticut and Clemson University created a website with a fake animal. If you read the comments below the video some people believe it or are confused about it. This is one of the reason its important to be internet literate.

Resources:

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

"Save the Tree Octopus." YouTube. N.p., 15 Nov. 2008. Web. 28 Jan. 2015

Digital Blog Post # B Chapter 2

              Understanding educational technology issues and trends was a very interesting chapter. It showed the impact of technology on the way Teachers teach and students learn. I think technology is going to have more of an impact on academics each year because there is so many neat teaching tools out there that can be used to help students learn. Three things that really sparked my interest was teacher centered teaching,student centered teaching, and digital divides.

Teacher centered and student centered teaching I think are two concepts that have to be discussed together. Both are types of teaching philosophies. As a teacher you will kind of have to decide which teaching style you will convey in your classroom. Teacher- centered teaching is what many adults born before 1980 had growing up. The teacher is the main focal point of learning information they are the knowledgeable ones and they give information to the student who is a novice. They use quantitative measures like test scores to determine who is receiving and comprehending the information correctly. I don’t necessarily disagree with this method of teaching, but I think it can be boring and outdated. I say outdated in the sense of; there is so many technology tools out there that we can expand on this teaching style.

Another teaching philosophy is the Student centered teaching. With this style of teaching teachers believe that making different experiences for students that they can explore and discover things on their own is the best way to teach them. Student centered teaching takes the focal point off the teacher, and gives the students a chance to ask questions, and engage in conversations with the teacher and each other. I like this style of teaching because it does give the students’ time to interact with each other and gain social skills that will be helpful in the real world. With this style of teaching you’re able to incorporate technology to be a resource in aiding in exploring and discovery of information.

Digital divides was a concept that I think effects many schools and is one problem that teachers have when trying to incorporate technology in the classroom. Digital divides is basically students not having the access to the latest technologies at home or in the school setting. According to our textbook low- income, nonwhite, urban, and rural youngsters are the ones affected by digital divides. Digital divides causes a chain reaction causing participation gaps which causes achievement gaps. I know living in Naples even for a short while I didn’t have a computer at home but I’ve always had access to computers at school, and public libraries. I know a lot of other schools in poor areas don’t have that luxury. Which is a sad thing because being educated in technology is a great skill to have and something you need in today’s society. I see so many job posting requiring for people to have knowledge in different computer software. 

Teacher- centered teaching, student- centered teaching and digital divides are three concepts that stood out to me in this chapter. I think with teaching you have to find a balance between the two teaching styles. I think bringing technology in the classroom can only be a plus to the learning experience. I think test and lectures are good every now and then. But I know when I was in computer class I paid more attention to Mavis beacon teaches typing then my actual teacher going over the keys on the keyboard. I think digital divides also reminds us that not everyone can afford a computer or the latest gadget that comes out. Not all schools are equal or have the same level of income. But I also think teachers do a great job of making sure students can access online assignments at home or making sure there is enough time to get things done in class.

Fig.2.1 pg 38 Transforming learning environments with Technology


Resources:

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

Digital Post Blog # A Chapter 1

   I did observing hours today for one of my college courses and it made me think of one of my concepts that I’m going to be discussing and that’s a digital childhood. I was observing in a high school, I haven’t been in my old high school for 9 years. Looking around all I saw was technology. Beats by Dre. Head phones, cellphone and tablets. I even saw a kid walking around with a modern day boom box.  Still shocking to see walking the halls of a high school. I remember when I was younger and although we had many of those things that I saw today, the main difference was the acceptance of the technology devices in the school. The teacher himself told me that he doesn't even try to argue with the students on putting those things away because the work is still getting done. It’s true that many of these students that are now seniors in high school grew up with a digital childhood, to them this behavior is normal, and to me I was honestly quite stunned. We were also in the computer lab so I was defiantly surrounded by technology today.  The differences 9 years make was amazing to me. It got me thinking about school when my son gets that age. He is also living a digital childhood. ABC mouse, puzzle apps and painting. My son is part of a new generation he will never know what it’s like to not have so much knowledge at his fingertips. All great but what is going to happen to books?

    Technology based textbooks, I thought I was surprised by all the use of technology in the school but when the teacher told me they no longer had textbooks my mouth about hit the floor, he said students access the textbooks online and that they do not assign textbooks anymore. To read that in our book about technology based text books and then to actually see it coming to reality is unbelievable. The school does get a class set but they only get assigned if someone doesn't have access to the internet at home. In our textbook it mentioned about “low income youngsters are less likely to have access to the latest high-speed, highly interactive technologies” (Maloy, et al (2014, pp. 4-5) .Which causes a participation gap. I know in our course book it refers more to technology – based text books as not being a core textbook but the teacher can find material related to the subject for students to read or the teacher can even author their own material and post them to keep the students engaged in the material. I think that’s great especially in subjects like poetry or math, I think sometimes fresh ideas is a good way to get a student motivated.

            Technological Pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is three forms of knowledge brought together by teachers to give students a more engaging learning experience. This gives students the ability to use technology to understand the material. It also means teachers using different methods and ideas when teaching academic material. I think technology and education should really start going hand and hand together. I think that the generation has changed. We are now living in a digital age, I think to not let technology be a helper in the education process is not going to keep a student with a digital childhood engaged.

           I think all these concepts will be a factor on my teaching style. It will impact me as a teacher because I will have to keep up with the technology, if I don’t want to be left behind and if I don’t want to leave my students behind as well. I think homework programs and tutoring style technology is great. Students get automatic feedback and teachers can see how much time a student spends on a problem. I think that when it comes to TPACK and knowing my students are from a digital childhood, I think you can tailor your delivery of teaching differently. You can explore with the new technologies out there. I think actually being in a high school or a school and seeing the digital generation is really amazing. You can see where one might not be engaged if everything was straight out of a textbook. I can see the slow movement toward a more technological society. Below i put a hyperlink of the pro's and cons of digital textbooks and my video link is a great idea of how the classroom will look in the future.

http://tablets-textbooks.procon.org

Resources:

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

"Technology in Education: A Future Classroom." YouTube. YouTube, 2014. Web. 22 Jan. 2015.

"Tablets vs. Textbooks - ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., 2004. Web. 21 Jan. 2015.