My Final Project-Using Podcasts to enhance learning

Have you ever been nervous about public speaking? Does that fear of studdering, or stumbling over a word during a speech worry you? If so, then perhaps you should turn to using Podcasts. Podcasts are speeches that have been converted to mp3 format, that can be listened to or created over the internet. Podcasts are effective tools if you are trying to get students more involved in class. There are always students who are nervous about talking in front of their peers. With Podcasts, a teacher can assign each student a topic, and students can talk into a microphone in the comfort of either a library or their home. Podcasts are great tools to use with students who are English Language Learners, or who are learning it as a second language.

Please make sure to visit my WOW project, to find out more about the uses of Podcasts and their beneficial impacts to the classroom. My WOW Project

My Reflection on Teaching with Technology

Well, what an adventure it has been. During the summer, the only type of "modern" technology that i regularly use is my Ipod. I try to get outside and be as active as possible. After a year of emails, facebook, and communicating with parents-I like o unplug the computer and have some Liam time. I usually dont go on the computer very much during the summer unless its absolutely necessary.

Needless to say this course has affected by quant summer get-away from technology. However, I have learned a lot about web 2.0, which i didnt even realize was a term prior to this course. It took some getting used to , but i ended up enjoying this course. I learned how to make videos using google and upload them to youtube. I also learned how to save and send documents as pdf files. A small skill, but still very useful within a large school system. Many of the skills that I have learned while taking this course will permiate into my classroom teaching and pedagogy.

My group of Janeen and Gina was wonderful. These two individuals were always available to answer any of the questions that I had on assignments, and they were always diligent when working on projects with me. I'd like to thank them for remaining patient and guiding me through much of the work for the duration of this course. Anyone would be lucky to work with these young women.

Finally, I'd like to recommend this coure to anyone who is resisting the change that technology offers the field of education. I was relucatant to take this course, and at its conclusion I feel lucky to have gone through this experience. It was both eye opening and inspiring, thank you Dr. Smirnova for conducting a smooth class.

Internet Safety, Digital Safety, and Copywrites

Wow, can i be arrested or held accountable for some of the links, information, or pictures that I have used in some of my undergraduate courses? The answer is yes, and many college students need to be cogniscent of that. Many young people (Myself included) and new internet users believe that because the information is easily accessible they dont have to cite where the work came from.

Additionally, one thing that our students need to keep in mind is the act of cyberbullying and it's consequences. Not only can students get harassed while in school, they are also tormented over the internet. Many young people have felt the stigma of being made fun over via the internet. We are professiionals need to make sure that our students have respect for eachother. This means that students need to be able to engage in meaningful discourse both in school and in the privacy of their own home. Cyberbullying is defintely something that needs to be monitored in the future.

Beyond the Bubble

During the past twenty years, the American education system has turned towards standardized testing to determine whether or not a student has mastered specific skills. In an article titled http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/07/beyond-the-bubble-test-how-will-we-measure-learning/ teachers give their view of standardized testing to an interviewer. Many of the teachers interviewed claim that they are forced to teach to the test. Meaning that their curricula is molded into an exact replica of what they believe will be on state examinations. Additionally, class time is wasted preparing for these exams. This is one problem that many teachers have with these types of tests. Not only do they make teachers edit their curricula, they also take away time from instruction. One alternative that is mentioned in this article is having these test done electronically, and have the questions be based on real world scenarios. Not only is this more time conscious, it is more pragmatic. I agree with offering students the option of taking tests electronically, instead of paper-pencil exams.

Using Engrade as grading software

Where I work, we use a grading program call infinite campus. We have been using this program for nearly two years, and I still do not feel comfortable with it. It is not user friendly at all. Previously, I have become with a program called "Easy Grade Pro". This particular program was very easy to use, after a little bit or practice.

The Engrade program is by far the easiest program to become acquainted with.Whether one is entering new assignments,grades, or just taking attended Engrade is an efficient digital grade book that offers lots of good qualities.Two features that I liked, are that you can put different emphasis on various assignments.If a teacher wants quizzes to be weighed as much as home-works, all they need to do is adjust the grade settings. Additionally, Engrade can be used as an attendance book. It is very convenient to be able to look at ones grade-book and an attendance roster at the same time.

The only ideas that I have, in terms of improving this program, is that it should have links that are available for reinforcement of learned material. I believe that this program is very user friendly, even basic skilled computer enthusiasts should be able to navigate through the Engrade options menu.

This software is very useful for all teachers. Many professionals tend to resist change, however if school districts used only Engrade, I think that it would create an easier situation for entering grades.Students would enjoy this program because they will be able to know the status of their grade immediately, instead of having to wait for their teachers to calculate grades.

An example of Using Engrade-Teacher Grading Program

A link to My finished Product

Check out the newsletter made by Gina, Janeen and I, using Smilebox.

http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d6a55344f5455314d7a513d0d0a&blogview=true

What would i do to make this project more effective in the future?

I would try to find another program that would allow us to work on the newsletter, save it to the site, and then work on it again at another location.  Teachers are busy and it would be a lot more convenient if it would save and we could finish it at another time.

How was it to collaborate on this project?

This project was a bit more difficult than the other projects because we all had hectic schedules this week and we learned that these programs do not save on the site, rather they save on a computer.  Therefore we all had to meet together to work on this and use the same computer.  The actual process of creating the newsletter was fun and easy. We thought it would be fun to make it a school newsletter and we could each add an article from our classroom. We all enjoyed this project and will all try to use this program in our classroom and in our lives.

What software did you chose?

I chose Smilebox first because it was free. It also had a nice layout and the colors were inviting. It was easy to use and very helpful. This is a site that we can each use individually, outside of this class, both professionally and personally, for a number of different reasons.WI can make newsletters, invitations, greetings, photo albums, and scrapbook all on one site. Plus, you can share in so many different ways such as through facebook, blogs, and e-mail, just to name a few.

What new communication software or applications do I plan to use for communcation with parents?

I think that it would be fun to use a program like Smilbox to make weekly or monthly newsletters for our class.  It would also be convenient use Skype if a parent cannot make a parent teacher conference. A class blog page will be a lot of fun too because parents and family members can comment on students’ work and that gives students a purpose and audience for their work.

How do i plan on communicating with parents?

I will communicate with our students’ parents through our newsletter, class website, blog and wiki.  Students will be able to show off their work on the class wiki and blog and then it will illicit conversations at home when parents ask, “What did you do in school today?” Today many parents have the internet on their phones, which makes it easy to check on the class websites.  Many parents work long hours and this is a way for them to stay informed of what their child is doing in school.  I also agree that all these Web 2.0 pages are great, but it is also important to continue to meet in person when needed and to make phone calls when certain situations arise.

Why is communication important?

Communication is important between parents and teachers for various reasons. First and foremost, a teacher spends significant amount of time with a parent’s child over the course of a school year.In some cases, if you want to know what’s up with the child, the teacher is an excellent source because they see them consistently. Opening up the lines of communication for the teacher and parent establishes a relationship where the main goal is the child’s progress and academic growth. It is important for both the parent and teacher to feel they can communicate with one another when it comes to concerns regarding the student.  If there has been a recent stressful event in the child’s life, the teacher should be informed so that he/she can take into consideration that information when observing the child’s academic performance and behavior. If a student is experiencing any problems they can be addressed more efficiently and effectively when the lines of communication are open. Additionally, the expectations for both the parent and teacher could be laid out so that both parties can work together to help support the child in a positive way.

Here is an example of Wordle!

I created this Wordle in about two minutes, and used the Google Chrome application to take the picture. Wordle is great for anticipatory sets, or as many teachers call them "Do Now" activities.

Constructivism as a teaching Method.

By Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluating, the 5E lesson plan gives students enough autonomy to learn by themselves, but also has enough structure so that the students will stay on task. It is an excellent example of teaching pedagogy, and I would recommend trying it at least once in every class. Additionally, I think that it would be easier to implement within a classroom where there are no behavior management issues.

The 5E lesson plan differs greatly from the lesson plan rubrics that have been created at MSMC.  Our lesson plan focus on detial, time management, and staying very structured for the duration of a class period. The MSMC lesson plan does have a slight emphasis on the use of technology during every lesson, however much of the technology discussed in my undergraduate courses does not allow for the open ended questioning that the 5E model does.
Both lesson formats are great, because they are so different. I would recommend using the MSMC lesson plan first, just to set some of the ground rules of the classroom. As a teacher has bonded with the students, then I believe the 5E model can be implemented. 

The Four Different Models of Instruction.

There are four different models of instruction, that one should follow when using technology. These models are mutually beneficial for both the student and the teacher.

The first is Behavioral: It includes the use of software for practice, designed software for skills, and using computer games to reinforce skills learned in class.

The second model is Information-Processing-it includes using webquest, and other tools that are common to web 2.0 to present information to our learners.

The third model is Social Interactive- This is the model that I am msot familiar with, and it involves keeping the lines of communication open between students and teachers. Some reccommended software that will help make communication easy includes: Facebook-Myspace-blogs-email-Twitter accounts-and video conferencing.

The fourth Model is Personal- and it involves the teacher helping the students to form their own personal learning environment.

Instructional System Design Model

Instructional System Design Models- is a step by step chronology that allows learners to have enhanced experiences within a school setting. The model is directed by the teacher, however feedback from the students is essential, if one want to properly implement this teaching method. The students as well as the teacher, may use various forms of technology to research various topics and/or subjects. One good thing about ISDM is that it allows for open ended questions and investigative group projects for students.

 

Using IGoogle as a tool

Igoogle is an interesting application that can be used along with the Chrome internet browser. It allowed an individual to customize their search engine-homepage according to their unique interests. There are specific additions that an individual can make according to their preferences. For example, I added sports, CNN and Facebook to my Google Chrome homepage. These additions will give me quick access to many of my frequented websites.

Additionally, one interesting application that students or teachers may want to use along with Igoogle is the unique ability to capture pictures of your actual computer screen. Although a bit trick and somewhat troublesome, this app allows people to be able to show others specific pictures off of their computer screen.

Twitter

Twitter- A new invention of an old idea? Following in the footsteps of Myspace and Facebook, Twitter is a social networking server that allows friends to follow one another. A twitter user can update his or her status to include news, assignments, or just general statements to ponder.

Twitter allows teachers to communicate with their students in a professional manner. Additionally, twitter users can follow each other are able to discuss various topics that may arise. I personally have not yet contacted any of my friends through twitter, but I do know that many people follow celebrities with it. The benefits of twitter is that it opens another line of communication between teachers, student and parents. Whenever teacher-parent communication is made easy, a strong foundation for education occurs.

Twitter will be used for parents to check assignments that their son or daughter may have to do for homework. Additionally, if a teacher posts the topic of instruction for a particular class, parents can check twitter and discuss what happened in school with their children.

The Triple P (A Proverbial Pedagogial Paradigm Shift)

Class put your textbooks away, and teachers throw away your chalk. These tools are evidence that humans once existed, but they are not acceptable teaching methods of the status quo. There was once a time where "direct instruction" lecture format instruction was widely used throughout schools in America.

As Bob Dillan would say , "Oh the times they are changing". The same can be said about education. Classrooms whose format is 2.0 are replacing textbooks, chalkboard, and dusty unused computers. Teachers must remain open to the change, no matter how difficult it may become. As discussed in our online class, teaching seems to be one of the only industries that resists change. The writing is on the wall, we are falling behind other countries in education, and change needs to be made.

Our students spend more time in front of computer screens than with their families. It is time for educators to reform their beliefs and attempt to "keep up with the Jones".
 

Communication: Students always want to talk....

Of the six national standards for technology, one that can be stressed and easily reinforced within the classroom in Communication and Collaboration.Young people are always striving to find new ways to connect themselves to each other. Throughout the past twenty years various technological advances have occurred that have all allowed us to communicate easier, more frequently and most importantly inexpensively.

From touch tone phones to car phones to cellular devices, to smart phones. A revolution of communication has occurred. Emailing has transitioned from instant messaging to text messaging, to skype. I believe that communication between young people is an element of society that is reinforced by the media and a quest to know answers immediately.
 

Discussing the Implications of Our Net Generation

Books, dial up telephones, compact discs? These three items seem like relics from the past. Artifacts from a time when humans used to interact face to face, and signatures had to be written by hand, not electronically signed.

The Net Generation, is  group of young people who have never lived in a world without the internet. Most of these youngsters have at least one computer in each household. Many, spend over five hours each day on the internet. What we must ask ourselves as educators is, How can we reach children that have grown up in such a different time than ourselves?

Teachers must strive to include technology that is both relevant and engaging, in order to grab their students attention. Technology must not be thought of as anything that needs to be plugged into an electronic outlet. It is not enough to use an overhead projector during a class lesson. Our students are not longer engaged by black and white pictures. The days of a teacher simply writing on a chalkboard are over. If professionals plan of yielding higher test scores, than we must place an emphasis on technology that our students use on a regular basis.

Computer Literacy vs Information Literacy vs Integration Literacy

Computer literacy is knowing how to use computers in a proper fashion. Information literacy deals with having the ability to find and organize information. Both of the above mention literacy's are useful when a person wants a specific answer to either a question of a problem that may have occurred. Conversely, Integration literacy deals with the ability to use modern technology in order to teach standards that have been mandated at both the state and national level.

Integration literacy is the way in which we as educators use technology to help reinforce ideas that are part of our core curriculum. It involves showing students how to find the information, and explaining how the information is relevant to a particular subject.

The literacy of the 21st century will likely be defined as reading or articles that can be found on the internet. Before the internet, literature could only be obtained by newspapers, books and encyclopedias. Now with the arrival of the internet and it's basic use becoming essential to everyday life, it has replaced the textbook as what is modern literature.

As for the future of technology, only science will tell. Perhaps one day there will be a device that directly relates thoughts into published works. The world truly is becoming more connected and I believe that one day a person on one continent will be able to converse with a person on another continent, without picking up a phone or even sitting in front of a computer. Technology is an ever changing business, so the literacy of the 21st century will follow whatever innovative trends become popular and lucrative.

My digital printing :)

This program gives users the ability to digitally trace their roots and progress throughout the information age. It can be used for students to search a broad topic, and narrow that topic down to a more specific subject of study. I recommend using this program with students who are visual learners. In general it is a fun activity the can easily be implemented into the classroom.

Using Wiziq for class meetings

Communication is an essential part of being able formulate and plan and event. This being said, Wiziq has created a way so that people can meet over the internet and discuss various topics that may arise during class sessions. It is both useful, and effective for people who live far distances apart. Instead of having to meet in a library, both Wiziq users may converse from the comfort of their homes or offices.

My Educational Philosophy

According to a survery taken at http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/selfassessment.html, I am a firm believer of the Information Processing style of teaching. Out of a possible twentyfive points that I could have scored, I earned twentyone.

The Information Processing model of education treats the mind as if it is a robot. It assumes that all students learn and incode information the same way. Honestly, I'm not completely thrilled that this is where I fit in terms of teaching style. Even at an undergradtuate level we are taught that a teachers job is to reach the various types of learners that exist. The fact that according to this survery, I treat each of my students as exactly the same type of learner is a bit distressing.

One interesting fact that can be noted is that out of a possible score of twentyfive points, I scored twenty points under the category of Humanism. Humanists believe that a persons charactor must be shaped within the classroom. This fact, is something that I firmly agree with. Not only is it a teaachers job to instruct, but teacher should be role models for students.

Comments on Education:today and tomorrow

Review Modern Trends in Education

Education has been under a microscope, not only by politicians but by parents and other people who have expected more advances in the use of technology. It is essential for educators to remain relevent during a time when school ranked extremily low in terms of technological imrpovements over the past 50 years.