Friday, July 23, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Personal Growth Plan: Week 4
“The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called "truth." ~Dan Rather
Among my previous reflections, there are some consistent focuses that have emerged. The main driving force is perspective and our responsibility as educators to open our own. At the same time, we have the unique opportunity to impact the lives of others by helping them alter their own. In our classrooms, we choose to perceive students either based off of what we have heard or what we observe. I feel that it is my responsibility as an educator to push the envelope for myself and my colleagues and to continuously modify my own perspective. This will allow me to see all of my students in the best light and to allow my students to see themselves how I see them. With a positive perspective, all things are possible and the significance of this outlook could be something that greatly impacts a student, parent, or peer that we interact with. I will continue to challenge myself to perceive the world in a unique light and to see beyond what people ordinarily see. This is especially why I am interested in assisting children with special needs. To help me achieve my goals, I have established a Personal Plan of Positive Action.
Personal Plan of Positive Action:
QuickFire Challenge
Quick Fire Challenge: Acrostic Photography
You will have 30 minutes to complete and submit.
- Take pictures of things that represent each letter of your first name, which describe you. (accommodations: find pictures online or draw pictures)
- Upload images onto one slide in Google Presentations.
- Share with the teacher.
- The teacher will share finished product via LCD projector with the class.
- Students will guess the name as a means of introduction at the beginning of the year.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Wicked TPaCK Challenge
Problem: 6th graders grasping the concept of the Electromagnetic Spectrum and its wavelengths, when they cannot conceptualize the terminology.
Solution: Create a multi-sensory learning experience by combining technology, pedagogical strategies, and the content.
The technology allows me to bring an experiential learning experience as well, as students will be able to use infrared goggles. The benefit of the infrared goggles and experiential learning to the student’s growth is that it provides a real-world application of the content. It takes information that is otherwise abstract and makes it concrete. As students interact with the terminology, they are able to make more connections to the content as they see it through their own perspective.
b. What is the TC knowledge for the solution?
The use of simulations when studying the different types of wavelengths in the Electromagnetic Spectrum, will make the content more readily accessible for students because it provides a re-representation of the information. Without the use of technology, the visuals provided would be static (no movement; like a diagram in a textbook). Therefore, simulations provide students with not only a re-representation, but an extension of information accessible. The simulations show the wavelengths in action, which allows students to comprehend the terminology and develop comparisons between the different wavelengths.
The use of images that have been taken with different cameras/satellites (therefore, capturing different wavelengths and showing another example of how their frequencies differ) makes the content more accessible to students because it provides them with a real-world application of their knowledge. These images, accessed online, do so by providing a perspective of how one object can look when each different wavelength strikes it (every other wavelength is filtered out). From this, students can use their higher order thinking skills to create inferences and form comparisons between the wavelengths.
c. What is the PC knowledge for the solution?
In dealing with students who find it challenging to conceptualize the terminology, bringing experiential and visual learning experiences will provide another avenue for them to be exposed to the content. I chose to pair these pedagogical strategies with the terminology because it affords students the opportunity to create more connections to the content. Students are not just trying to memorize definitions; instead they are interacting with the content and each other. This offers students with an opportunity to identify and clarify misconceptions that may have formed, as they are taking part in social learning.
Incorporating a kinesthetic experience where students will role play as if they were different types of wavelengths will be the final piece that integrates all of the learning styles. The affordance of role playing as different wavelengths heightens recall of the content. This is possible because the kinesthetic learners create connections between their movement and the terminology. It removes any abstract elements left for students within the concept, by putting them physically into the action of the wavelengths. By combining visual, experiential, and kinesthetic experiences, it allows a variety of learners to have access to the content and to constructively build their own knowledge in a way that best suits them.
Solution: Create a multi-sensory learning experience by combining technology, pedagogical strategies, and the content.
a. What is the TP knowledge for the solution?
The technology that I have selected (simulations and images from different camera types) allows me to bring the visual and experiential aspect of my lesson to students. The affordance of simulations, the use of images, and visual learning is that when combined they provide a multi-sensory learning experience that appeals to multiple levels of learners. In the past, it has been difficult for many students to process this terminology because they could not actually see it or begin to imagine it. This caused for students to become detached from the content and unmotivated. Incorporating the visual component will allow more students to process the information, which in turn will increase their motivation and level of engagement.The technology allows me to bring an experiential learning experience as well, as students will be able to use infrared goggles. The benefit of the infrared goggles and experiential learning to the student’s growth is that it provides a real-world application of the content. It takes information that is otherwise abstract and makes it concrete. As students interact with the terminology, they are able to make more connections to the content as they see it through their own perspective.
b. What is the TC knowledge for the solution?
The use of simulations when studying the different types of wavelengths in the Electromagnetic Spectrum, will make the content more readily accessible for students because it provides a re-representation of the information. Without the use of technology, the visuals provided would be static (no movement; like a diagram in a textbook). Therefore, simulations provide students with not only a re-representation, but an extension of information accessible. The simulations show the wavelengths in action, which allows students to comprehend the terminology and develop comparisons between the different wavelengths.
The use of images that have been taken with different cameras/satellites (therefore, capturing different wavelengths and showing another example of how their frequencies differ) makes the content more accessible to students because it provides them with a real-world application of their knowledge. These images, accessed online, do so by providing a perspective of how one object can look when each different wavelength strikes it (every other wavelength is filtered out). From this, students can use their higher order thinking skills to create inferences and form comparisons between the wavelengths.
c. What is the PC knowledge for the solution?
In dealing with students who find it challenging to conceptualize the terminology, bringing experiential and visual learning experiences will provide another avenue for them to be exposed to the content. I chose to pair these pedagogical strategies with the terminology because it affords students the opportunity to create more connections to the content. Students are not just trying to memorize definitions; instead they are interacting with the content and each other. This offers students with an opportunity to identify and clarify misconceptions that may have formed, as they are taking part in social learning.
Incorporating a kinesthetic experience where students will role play as if they were different types of wavelengths will be the final piece that integrates all of the learning styles. The affordance of role playing as different wavelengths heightens recall of the content. This is possible because the kinesthetic learners create connections between their movement and the terminology. It removes any abstract elements left for students within the concept, by putting them physically into the action of the wavelengths. By combining visual, experiential, and kinesthetic experiences, it allows a variety of learners to have access to the content and to constructively build their own knowledge in a way that best suits them.
Final Vodcast Project: Post 2
Storyboard/Script:
Intro/Scene 1: (Opens to Andrea and Candace using gesture-based computing...the Wii)
Andrea: “Hi, I’m Andrea”
Candace: “And I’m Candace. Today, we’re going to discuss gesture-based computing.”
Andrea: “Don’t know what gesture-based computing is? I’m sure you do! The Wii is a perfect example of this! So are the different iPhone apps that react to shaking or moving the phone in a different way.”
Candace: “Computing that uses interfaces based on human gestures. Basically, it is when computers read your body movements and react accordingly.”
Main Discussion Segment/Scene 2: (Andrea and Candace are seated, facing the camera...empty room)
Andrea: “This is a concept that is being used in some areas already and will be further developed in the future. Candace, I was reading the Horizon Report the day. Did you see all of the great uses of this technology?”
Candace: “Yeah, like how they’re using Gesture-based computing in medicine in higher education to train surgeons and perform virtual autopsies. Do you think that any of this could be useful in a school setting?”
Andrea: “Sure. Like maybe for dissecting animals in biology class.”
Candace: “I guess that would make animal lovers happy.”
Andrea: “They’re also using gesture-based games to teach sign language to children who are hearing impaired.”
Candace: “That’s cool! What a wonderful tool to help with language acquisition and the development of linguistic understanding. This could really bridge the gap for students with limitations.”
Andrea: “Yeah. Using gesture-based programs as assisstive technology. That makes sense!”
You know what else they’re using gesture-based learning for?”
Candace: “What else Andrea?”
Andrea: “To encourage fine and gross motor skills in young children.”
Candace: “Wouldn’t it be great if the software taught them to tie their shoes without needing laces....that would save all of the work of getting the knots out!”
Andrea: “Or how to get potty trained. So as teachers, what does this mean for us...?”
Candace: “It means that we need to start preparing our students to live in an interactive world. The focus will turn to practical applications, and will make the content more readily accessible. It will open up a new world of opportunity in our classrooms.”
Andrea: “Imagine being able to dissect a shark when you live in the dessert. Or train to be a surgeon using virtual tools!
Candace: “It can also be used to differentiate instruction, allowing access for students with limited mobility. It also allows us to take virtual field trips or to help kinesthetic learners create connections to the content.”
Andrea: “Some people are worried about this, that we already spend too much time in VR and that this might affect young people’s attention spans. What do you think about this, Candice?”
Candace: “On the contrary, I believe this could help reach our students that live in the digital age. None of us truly know what it is like to grow up in a world of ever-increasing technology, which is constantly evolving. Students today obtain and process information in a unique way.”
Andrea: “So we need a new and unique way to teach them! And if they are engaged in what they’re doing, their attention span won’t be a problem because they’ll want to learn.”
Ending/Scene 3:
Candace: “We should definitely start preparing now. According to the Horizon Report, we should see an increase in the use of this technology over the next 4-5 years.”
Andrea: “I’m looking forward to it”
Candace: “Thanks for listening to our talk about Gesture-based Computing. It’s kinda hot, I could go for a swim. Hey, do you want to go to the beach?”
Andrea: “Great idea!”
(Both put sunglasses on and Andrea moves her finger across the screen to reveal a beach scene)
Final Vodcast Project: Post 1
Gesture-based Computing
Tools We Will Be Using to Complete the Project:
PowerPoint (to integrate images of gesture-based computing)
Computer (to find images and for editing the final project)
Digital Video Camera (to tape our vodcast on Gesture-based computing)
iMovie (for editing project)
Tri-pod (to stabilize the video)
Timeline:
Monday, July 19th:
- Post 1st blog by 6pm
- Research topic and select which software applications to discuss
- Storyboard the Vodcast and find images to use
- Post 2nd blog with storyboard and script to Blogspot
- Use class time during morning and after school (if needed) to tape interview
- Start editing process
- Edit Vodcast in class in the morning
- Re-edit after class (make sure audio and video have good quality)
- Submit final project during the evening
Topics for Final Project
- Creative Inquiry
- Gesture-based Computing
- Digital Storytelling
- Assistive/Adaptive Technology
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Personal Growth Plan: Week 3
In reflecting on the past weeks, I have sought direction from individuals who have influenced others:
Expanding my PLN can also help me to be persistent. Getting in touch with others who have similar beliefs will not only provide me with motivation, but will allow a new avenue to strengthen my message. This in turn will give me a more meaningful message and a louder voice. It will establish my presence of positivity in perspective.
“Your work is to discover your work and then with all your
heart to give yourself to it.” – Buddha
As I feel that I have discovered my true passion in life, it is now time to commit myself wholeheartedly to it. Committing to converting perspectives and advocating for change will be work that will consume my life- as it should. If I expect people to change, I need to live that change. I need to put myself out there and speak and act in a way that brings positive attention to my cause. I do realize the time commitment that this call for and I accept the challenge.heart to give yourself to it.” – Buddha
“One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing
is what we do for others." - Lewis Carroll
Yes, I am one person. Yet, I can help many. There is no such satisfaction as giving of oneself entirely to a cause that is greater than thee. If I go through life and keep my perspective on self, I would feel satisfied. But, I wouldn’t know the pleasure or reward of assisting others if I did not open my perspective to it. This is the window that I need to open others to.is what we do for others." - Lewis Carroll
“The mind has exactly the same power as the hands;
not merely to grasp the world, but to change it.” -Colin Wilson
Our minds are powerful and so are our actions. Now that I have the insight, I need to act on it. With my mind, I can be a stimulus for change in others. My first step to being heard is to dedicate myself to changing perspectives within my school. Daily interactions with my colleagues can greatly influence our habit of limited perspective. In those moments or meetings where we are all so quick to complain, I will make it my goal to always find a positive story about student growth that I have observed. The power to changing perspectives is in changing mindsets. They have to see why it is important and have to believe that they are capable of seeing things in a different light. If I create a habit of it, then they are given evidence of how much a change in perspective can alter your work life.not merely to grasp the world, but to change it.” -Colin Wilson
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing –
that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar
Even on days when I feel that I am getting nowhere, I need to remember that the battle I am fighting is worth it. I need to keep my motivation constant by remembering why I am doing this. One such is a note that was left on my desk from one of my most challenging students last year. He came into our grade, labeled the “troublemaker”. I refused to see him as that and put a lot of time into developing a connection with him. Throughout the year, it was a constant battle. Some days, it seemed like maybe I finally reached him. On other days, he was cold and shut down. The last week of school, I had a serious discussion with him about his actions and how people perceive him. On the last day of school, when I returned from dismissal, I found a post-it note on my desk. It read, “I am going to miss you a lot Miss Marcotte”. The note was signed from him. To some, they might see it as a simple note, not worth paying much attention to. In my eyes, it was the proof that I had made a connection with him that may alter his future in some way. Although it may be slight, any little positive change is for the better.that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar
Expanding my PLN can also help me to be persistent. Getting in touch with others who have similar beliefs will not only provide me with motivation, but will allow a new avenue to strengthen my message. This in turn will give me a more meaningful message and a louder voice. It will establish my presence of positivity in perspective.
“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” - Lao Tzu
As I work towards shifting perspectives and advocating for students, I must continually alter my path. There really is no final destination because there is always work to be done. Once I reach what I believed to be the end result, I need to question the “why”. This will provide me an extended path to continue digging deeper into this problem. I need to be flexible in my plans, realizing that sometimes a diversion from the path is the best way to allow others to join me in my journey.“Never, never, never, never give up.” – Winston Churchill
Persistence is the key. I cannot allow others to stifle my fire because they are not willing to put the effort in. A little at a time, change is possible. This may take a lot of time, but the end result will be worth it.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Personal TPaCK
Problem: 6th graders grasping the concept of the Electromagnetic Spectrum and its wavelengths, when they cannot conceptualize the terminology.
A. (TP) The technology that I have selected (simulations and images from different camera types) allows me to bring the visual and experiential aspect of my lesson to students. It is hard for students to conceptualize the terminology that is being learned because they cannot see it. Technology allows me to provide a visual of how the different waves within the spectrum act. Seeing this will allow students to make the connections that couldn’t have been made before. It also allows me to bring an experiential learning experience, as students will be able to use infrared goggles. This tool will bring the interactive element and should help students use the terminology as a part of their experience.
B. (TC) The use of simulations when studying the different types of wavelengths in the Electromagnetic Spectrum will make the content readily accessible for students. As humans, we cannot physically see the waves. With simulations, a visual is provided that allows students to draw from. This makes the content more intellectually accessible because students do not have to form a mental image of the concept in their mind, while learning terminology, they have one provided that they can observe and note the differences in. They can then take that information and apply it to real-life scenarios. The use of images that have been taken with different cameras/satellites (therefore, capturing different wavelengths) also makes the content more accessible to students. It does so by providing how one image can look when all but one type of wavelength is filtered out. From this, students can create inferences and note how these wavelengths affect what is seen.
C. (PC) In dealing with students being caught up in terminology that they cannot conceptualize, bringing experiential and visual learning experiences will allow them to grasp the concept more holistically. I believe that when paired with these experiences, students will better understand the content because they have interacted with it. After the students have learned the terminology and have been able to apply and observe it in action, they will be able to conceptualize what those terms really mean; thus, broadening their understanding. I also plan to provide a kinesthetic experience where students will act like the different types of wavelengths. This will allow kinesthetic learners to pair the terminology with movements, relating the waves to paces of their own motions. By combining visual, experiential, and kinesthetic experiences together it allows a variety of learners to have access to the content and to constructively build their own knowledge in a way that best suits them.
A. (TP) The technology that I have selected (simulations and images from different camera types) allows me to bring the visual and experiential aspect of my lesson to students. It is hard for students to conceptualize the terminology that is being learned because they cannot see it. Technology allows me to provide a visual of how the different waves within the spectrum act. Seeing this will allow students to make the connections that couldn’t have been made before. It also allows me to bring an experiential learning experience, as students will be able to use infrared goggles. This tool will bring the interactive element and should help students use the terminology as a part of their experience.
B. (TC) The use of simulations when studying the different types of wavelengths in the Electromagnetic Spectrum will make the content readily accessible for students. As humans, we cannot physically see the waves. With simulations, a visual is provided that allows students to draw from. This makes the content more intellectually accessible because students do not have to form a mental image of the concept in their mind, while learning terminology, they have one provided that they can observe and note the differences in. They can then take that information and apply it to real-life scenarios. The use of images that have been taken with different cameras/satellites (therefore, capturing different wavelengths) also makes the content more accessible to students. It does so by providing how one image can look when all but one type of wavelength is filtered out. From this, students can create inferences and note how these wavelengths affect what is seen.
C. (PC) In dealing with students being caught up in terminology that they cannot conceptualize, bringing experiential and visual learning experiences will allow them to grasp the concept more holistically. I believe that when paired with these experiences, students will better understand the content because they have interacted with it. After the students have learned the terminology and have been able to apply and observe it in action, they will be able to conceptualize what those terms really mean; thus, broadening their understanding. I also plan to provide a kinesthetic experience where students will act like the different types of wavelengths. This will allow kinesthetic learners to pair the terminology with movements, relating the waves to paces of their own motions. By combining visual, experiential, and kinesthetic experiences together it allows a variety of learners to have access to the content and to constructively build their own knowledge in a way that best suits them.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Dinglehopper Challenge
Our Object:
Re-purposing It:
"Can you hear me now?"
"Wow! This is really working my core!"
Click here to see more!
Re-purposing It:
"Can you hear me now?"
"Wow! This is really working my core!"Click here to see more!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Personal Growth Plan: Week 2
As educators, we all act like cameras. Each of us has a distinct perspective and we have the ability to see the world in a way unique to anyone else. Daily, we take snapshots of our students, hoping to catch them in the best light. Although it may be hard on some days, I believe that one of my best assets as an educator is being able to switch the lens on my camera to do this. One of my passions is to give a voice to students who otherwise have none or have been “side-tracked” to be photographed in only one way. I am able and willing to drown out the voices of colleagues and put all of my faith into a student and let them prove to me that they are what I see them as.
Holding a camera too close to your eye limits your perspective. When we step back from it, or zoom out, we are able to see the bigger picture. In my last reflection, I included fine details in some instances (I was too zoomed in) and in other goals I was quite broad (zoomed out too far). Having thought about this, I can begin to piece the detailed shots into a more holistic picture. In reflecting on my previous personal growth plan, I have noticed that I need to turn my lens into a more clear focus to see what the light is capturing for my future.
Taking my passions as an educator and mixing my experiences with it has provided me with an amazing opportunity. I have the power to expose children to what they can become, or to help them realize what their final portrait could entail. Having worked at a camp for children with special needs for three years, it allowed me to see how impactful a “good lens” is. These children all saw each other in the same light and their energy and faith in each other overflowed. They saw each other, not as one with a limited lens would see them, but with a true lens. Never did they let the exterior affect their interior. This is why one of my passions is to see beyond the surface of a student and to make that connection with students who seem un-connectable. To do this, I want to become more fluent in assistive technology. I believe that I can be the lens filter that is needed to capture these students and others in the best light.
To accomplish this goal, I need to be brave and go for it. I need to know more! My first step is completing this program and receiving my Master's of Arts in Educational Technology. I will gear my research in this program towards assistive and adaptive technology to become more fluent. The second step is finding my voice in this realm. Writing grants for my school and providing professional development related to this topic is a great way to start. I will take advantage of other opportunities provided as well. Re-connecting with the camp that I worked at will allow me to get the "inside scoop" on what is really needed. It is easy to look at the topic superficially: provide resources for special needs students. I want to be the one who looks at it and transforms how others think about it. How can we provide more resources? What resources need to be created? How are families affected and what support could be offered to them? Why is it that our society can define a person by the picture that we see or what we have heard others picture them as? This is where my curiosity lies and I will continue to challenge myself to strive towards these goals and to zoom in or zoom out as needed.
Holding a camera too close to your eye limits your perspective. When we step back from it, or zoom out, we are able to see the bigger picture. In my last reflection, I included fine details in some instances (I was too zoomed in) and in other goals I was quite broad (zoomed out too far). Having thought about this, I can begin to piece the detailed shots into a more holistic picture. In reflecting on my previous personal growth plan, I have noticed that I need to turn my lens into a more clear focus to see what the light is capturing for my future.
Taking my passions as an educator and mixing my experiences with it has provided me with an amazing opportunity. I have the power to expose children to what they can become, or to help them realize what their final portrait could entail. Having worked at a camp for children with special needs for three years, it allowed me to see how impactful a “good lens” is. These children all saw each other in the same light and their energy and faith in each other overflowed. They saw each other, not as one with a limited lens would see them, but with a true lens. Never did they let the exterior affect their interior. This is why one of my passions is to see beyond the surface of a student and to make that connection with students who seem un-connectable. To do this, I want to become more fluent in assistive technology. I believe that I can be the lens filter that is needed to capture these students and others in the best light.
To accomplish this goal, I need to be brave and go for it. I need to know more! My first step is completing this program and receiving my Master's of Arts in Educational Technology. I will gear my research in this program towards assistive and adaptive technology to become more fluent. The second step is finding my voice in this realm. Writing grants for my school and providing professional development related to this topic is a great way to start. I will take advantage of other opportunities provided as well. Re-connecting with the camp that I worked at will allow me to get the "inside scoop" on what is really needed. It is easy to look at the topic superficially: provide resources for special needs students. I want to be the one who looks at it and transforms how others think about it. How can we provide more resources? What resources need to be created? How are families affected and what support could be offered to them? Why is it that our society can define a person by the picture that we see or what we have heard others picture them as? This is where my curiosity lies and I will continue to challenge myself to strive towards these goals and to zoom in or zoom out as needed.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Merlot Research
http://teams.kennesaw.edu/index.html
Authors: Tom Brown and Matthew Laposata
This website provides modules for teaching inquiry science through the use of technology-enhanced activities. The project is supported by The National Science Foundation and provides five modules for teachers to work through with their students. It focuses on deeper understanding of content through applying inquiry skills as a means of pedagogy and technology as an interactive approach to the material. The five modules are broken down into categories: Module Summary, Virtual Mentor Video Clips, Activity in Action Video Clips, and Instructor Resources. The layout of the site is easily navigated and the material provided is relevant to content covered in my own classroom.
Authors: Tom Brown and Matthew Laposata
This website provides modules for teaching inquiry science through the use of technology-enhanced activities. The project is supported by The National Science Foundation and provides five modules for teachers to work through with their students. It focuses on deeper understanding of content through applying inquiry skills as a means of pedagogy and technology as an interactive approach to the material. The five modules are broken down into categories: Module Summary, Virtual Mentor Video Clips, Activity in Action Video Clips, and Instructor Resources. The layout of the site is easily navigated and the material provided is relevant to content covered in my own classroom.
Personal Growth Plan: Week 1
During my undergrad at U of M, I started with a double major in communications. Growing up and being involved in Yearbook and Video during middle and high school created a spark within me to use technology. It was my interest at that time to pursue a career in teaching those classes in a high school setting. After being told that it would take about 7 years to complete the degree, and with being on a 5 year scholarship, I decided to switch my area of focus and drop the double major.
Through my undergraduate studies I was still able to take some communication classes and education technology classes. I put a lot of time into all of our projects and creations because it is something that I really enjoy; therefore, I did quite well in the courses. Every time I went to one of my technology courses, I was excited to go… what were we going to learn or experiment with next?! During my in-service, one of our goals was to incorporate technology into lesson plans. I was able to gain knowledge on projectors (LCD and old school), Wordle, transparency machines (even the 50 year old version that melted the ink onto the transparency), and overall learn how to guide students through the use of technology in a lab setting. One of our staff morning meetings was devoted to technology and Patty Kolinski shared her knowledge that she gained from this course. That is how I originally heard about it and began to become interested in pursuing this degree that I felt so compelled to study in the beginning of my undergrad.
In my first year of teaching, I have grown with my understanding and use of technology in the classroom. The “learning experience” that sticks out most in my mind is when my online grade book had to be reset three times at the beginning of the school year. This was in my two first weeks of being a new teacher and I had stayed up trying to figure the system out every night because progress reports were due. When I was told that it had to be deleted again, I cried. It was that one thing that I had absolutely no control over. That weekend, I spent my entire time re-doing it once more. Luckily, it didn’t have to be deleted again! What this taught me was not to stress out about technology; you just have to go with the flow. If something shuts down and deletes or a system needs to be reset, then people will understand. Deadlines can be extended because people understand. This was one of my most valuable learning experiences with technology because it set me free!
After the first week of class, I feel more excited than ever about the use of technology! I was unsure of how I could really incorporate the technology into the classroom as much as I want to, but it has shown me that it is possible because I have heard form other teachers who have done it. The first week has also shifted my focus of technology into just how beneficial it can be for my students. I had always looked at technology as an engaging and creative tool to use in the classroom. From there, I thought it would benefit different types of learners and increase their understanding of concepts. The class has taught me that there is more to it than that- technology can shape the style of how you teach and think. It can motivate the unmotivated learners and be used to differentiate instruction for all levels of students. The brain power behind it makes my gears spin and spin. What I am now interested now is the re-purposing of technology for the classroom and the grants and funding available for integrating more technology into the classroom. I am also enamored with all of the tools available through Google!
My PGP for the remaining portion of the Summer of 2010:
A. Always try to engage my own mind in creativity (take time to allow myself to process the world around me and the unknown- let it surprise, inspire, and confuse me)
B. Find new tools (such as HootCourse, Edumodo, Google Docs) that can be integrated to further class dialogue
C. Determine ways to re-purpose technologies for the classroom
D. Find websites and programs that provide grants so that grants can be written for technology this summer or throughout the school year.
Foundation for personal growth (remaining MAET and 5 career years):
A. Always be an open and eager learner
B. Question the unknown or the unclear (reach beyond the surface)
C. Develop a guide or brochure with tips for re-purposing technology for the classroom
D. Write grants for school technology
E. Develop a plan for implementing the integration of technology in the classroom
F. Persuade my colleagues that this is the course of action
G. Share knowledge gained as a part of a professional development
H. Become more well-versed in assistive technology
Through my undergraduate studies I was still able to take some communication classes and education technology classes. I put a lot of time into all of our projects and creations because it is something that I really enjoy; therefore, I did quite well in the courses. Every time I went to one of my technology courses, I was excited to go… what were we going to learn or experiment with next?! During my in-service, one of our goals was to incorporate technology into lesson plans. I was able to gain knowledge on projectors (LCD and old school), Wordle, transparency machines (even the 50 year old version that melted the ink onto the transparency), and overall learn how to guide students through the use of technology in a lab setting. One of our staff morning meetings was devoted to technology and Patty Kolinski shared her knowledge that she gained from this course. That is how I originally heard about it and began to become interested in pursuing this degree that I felt so compelled to study in the beginning of my undergrad.
In my first year of teaching, I have grown with my understanding and use of technology in the classroom. The “learning experience” that sticks out most in my mind is when my online grade book had to be reset three times at the beginning of the school year. This was in my two first weeks of being a new teacher and I had stayed up trying to figure the system out every night because progress reports were due. When I was told that it had to be deleted again, I cried. It was that one thing that I had absolutely no control over. That weekend, I spent my entire time re-doing it once more. Luckily, it didn’t have to be deleted again! What this taught me was not to stress out about technology; you just have to go with the flow. If something shuts down and deletes or a system needs to be reset, then people will understand. Deadlines can be extended because people understand. This was one of my most valuable learning experiences with technology because it set me free!
After the first week of class, I feel more excited than ever about the use of technology! I was unsure of how I could really incorporate the technology into the classroom as much as I want to, but it has shown me that it is possible because I have heard form other teachers who have done it. The first week has also shifted my focus of technology into just how beneficial it can be for my students. I had always looked at technology as an engaging and creative tool to use in the classroom. From there, I thought it would benefit different types of learners and increase their understanding of concepts. The class has taught me that there is more to it than that- technology can shape the style of how you teach and think. It can motivate the unmotivated learners and be used to differentiate instruction for all levels of students. The brain power behind it makes my gears spin and spin. What I am now interested now is the re-purposing of technology for the classroom and the grants and funding available for integrating more technology into the classroom. I am also enamored with all of the tools available through Google!
My PGP for the remaining portion of the Summer of 2010:
A. Always try to engage my own mind in creativity (take time to allow myself to process the world around me and the unknown- let it surprise, inspire, and confuse me)
B. Find new tools (such as HootCourse, Edumodo, Google Docs) that can be integrated to further class dialogue
C. Determine ways to re-purpose technologies for the classroom
D. Find websites and programs that provide grants so that grants can be written for technology this summer or throughout the school year.
Foundation for personal growth (remaining MAET and 5 career years):
A. Always be an open and eager learner
B. Question the unknown or the unclear (reach beyond the surface)
C. Develop a guide or brochure with tips for re-purposing technology for the classroom
D. Write grants for school technology
E. Develop a plan for implementing the integration of technology in the classroom
F. Persuade my colleagues that this is the course of action
G. Share knowledge gained as a part of a professional development
H. Become more well-versed in assistive technology
Traditional Web vs. Blogging
The traditional web and blogging are two tools that help to improve communication and keep people informed. Though these are pieces of technology that one can use to obtain information, there are differences between these two tools. The web is generally what I call a “user-received” tool. That is, the user (or person looking for information), is the one obtaining the information. The websites being searched and/or reviewed are providing information for the user. The arrow of information goes from the computer to the person. On the other hand, blogs allow for the arrow of information to go from the computer to the user and vice versa. This is what I call, “user-received and shared”. This means that the user is receiving information (by subscribing to other blogs or reviewing comments) and sharing information with the world (by creating their own posts and sharing links with other users). The creator of the blog is not only receiving information, but sharing it with everyone in the World Wide Web!
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