When reviewing others' blogs I found that many of us had similar interests when it came to using technology in an educational setting. There were parts of the text and programs that we found boring and useless but there were many other parts that were surprisingly useful and we didn't know existed. Overall, I shared a surprise for the different and interesting ways that technology can be used to help teach a "plugged-in" generation.
I can't particularly identify a technology-related skill I would most like to learn because I cannot think of anything past what I have just learned. I'm sure there exists many different, new and useful ways to use technology but I simply do not know of them. I look forward to integrating new technology into the classroom as it is introduced in the future.
When I make lesson plans in the future I will consider technology as a very useful way to get the attention of my students. I will encourage students to research topics online and I will use interactive presentations in the classroom with photographs and animation to make the learning process more fun. I will use excel to make graphs to help make demonstrate a point, or powerpoint to present information so that students can see what I am talking about in pictures.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Post #9
http://www.googlelittrips.com/
Google Lit Trips helps students visit places mentioned in literature taught in the classroom. Lit Trips uses Google Earth to take the viewer from one location to the next, helping the student understand and place the events of a book geographically. Lit Trips contains pre-made Lit Trips for many different novels no matter what grade (K-5, 6-8, 9-12, and even higher education).
Along with visiting the places geographically on Google Earth through Lit Trips, students can view special buildings if mentioned in the novel, and compare the present Google Earth image with an older image from the time period of the text, giving students a new perspective on literature and helping to relate it to real life. Teachers may add their own notes and elements to the presentation as well as using the premade Lit Trip presentations to help explain the events of texts taught in the classroom.
The next technology-related skill I would most like to learn would include presentations and online programs for students to use that I set up and control. This would be wonderful to use because I can control the content and adapt it to classroom relevance. I would like to learn about a program that offers many different variables of this teaching technology and would enable students to view at home, and possibly correlate their homework assignments to.
My future technology-related goals will include ways to incorporate technology in the classroom so that teaching as well as learning is easier. I will utilize many programs learned in this class for presentations and online tools.
Google Lit Trips helps students visit places mentioned in literature taught in the classroom. Lit Trips uses Google Earth to take the viewer from one location to the next, helping the student understand and place the events of a book geographically. Lit Trips contains pre-made Lit Trips for many different novels no matter what grade (K-5, 6-8, 9-12, and even higher education).
Along with visiting the places geographically on Google Earth through Lit Trips, students can view special buildings if mentioned in the novel, and compare the present Google Earth image with an older image from the time period of the text, giving students a new perspective on literature and helping to relate it to real life. Teachers may add their own notes and elements to the presentation as well as using the premade Lit Trip presentations to help explain the events of texts taught in the classroom.
The next technology-related skill I would most like to learn would include presentations and online programs for students to use that I set up and control. This would be wonderful to use because I can control the content and adapt it to classroom relevance. I would like to learn about a program that offers many different variables of this teaching technology and would enable students to view at home, and possibly correlate their homework assignments to.
My future technology-related goals will include ways to incorporate technology in the classroom so that teaching as well as learning is easier. I will utilize many programs learned in this class for presentations and online tools.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Post #6
Chapter 5 discussed many applications of digital media, simulations, etc. that benefit the classroom. For example, computer-based training (CBT) helps learners utilize their skills if it's a technology lesson (SAM). However, I have experience with online training of trigonometry, and needless to say, it didn't work. It was very difficult to use and even more to learn. Electronic books are very useful, however, helping one study via the computer, often times with the same advantages or even more advantages than having the actual text in front of you. Web-based courses may have their advantages, but they don't always work for everyone. My professor for an online class told us that either you ace it or you fail it. Very rarely does a web-based course produce many high grades if the subject material is new the the student.
Some of the skills I've learned recently that may help me in my teaching career include....... well...... nothing really. There haven't been any new developments in my 'learning how to teach' area, but I'm constantly observing my professors and taking what I like and eliminating what I don't like about their teaching style (or lack thereof).
I've recently discovered some new options when I go to grad school for education. Originally I was planning on simply going for a masters in english education or administrative ed. Apparantly FSU has a program where you can get certified to teach community college as well. This really sparked my interest, because that's more of what I would enjoy. Obviously I still have awhile till I get that far, probably a year and a half, but I like to be prepared, and I like knowing that I'm not stuck with being a high school teacher (though I would enjoy that as well) if I happened to change my mind or become interested in a different aspect of education.
Some of the skills I've learned recently that may help me in my teaching career include....... well...... nothing really. There haven't been any new developments in my 'learning how to teach' area, but I'm constantly observing my professors and taking what I like and eliminating what I don't like about their teaching style (or lack thereof).
I've recently discovered some new options when I go to grad school for education. Originally I was planning on simply going for a masters in english education or administrative ed. Apparantly FSU has a program where you can get certified to teach community college as well. This really sparked my interest, because that's more of what I would enjoy. Obviously I still have awhile till I get that far, probably a year and a half, but I like to be prepared, and I like knowing that I'm not stuck with being a high school teacher (though I would enjoy that as well) if I happened to change my mind or become interested in a different aspect of education.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Post #5
Chapter 6 included a lot of interesting applications to technology. I liked learning about how technology integration is actually quite complicated. There are many factors, such as curriculum standards and learner outcomes. Learning styles are also a main factor in how technology is integrated. Some people learn better with hands-on, others with computers, and others just by reading. I remember using a KWL chart in high school, a Know, Want to know, and what we Learned. It was kind of useful, but not something I would be interested in using.
As a future educator, I've acquired a few skills simply from watching my professors lecture. One of my favorite professors keeps us interested by relating topics to everyday life, calling on people randomly, and asking for our opinions. I saw that these things make the class much more enjoyable and something everyone looks forward to, and I intend to teach my classes with the same enjoyment.
I hate computers sometimes. Mine just quit on me the other day, right in the middle of a paper. They say in like 50 years a computer will equal the intelligence of the entire human race. Maybe this is true, but I think they need to work on keeping them from freezing and erasing everything first.
As a future educator, I've acquired a few skills simply from watching my professors lecture. One of my favorite professors keeps us interested by relating topics to everyday life, calling on people randomly, and asking for our opinions. I saw that these things make the class much more enjoyable and something everyone looks forward to, and I intend to teach my classes with the same enjoyment.
I hate computers sometimes. Mine just quit on me the other day, right in the middle of a paper. They say in like 50 years a computer will equal the intelligence of the entire human race. Maybe this is true, but I think they need to work on keeping them from freezing and erasing everything first.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Post #4
Computer Based Training (CBT) is interesting because there are a lot of things about it that are still being developed, and may very well be the new way to hold class. We even have a graduate major that involves research of this here at FSU I believe. iPod books are also discussed, which is a very interesting topic. I am personally interested in this, because I have to read a lot of books for my classes, and this particular development would be extremely useful and time saving. I have recently stopped subscribing to magazines as well, because most magazines post their content on their website for free, and my mom does the same for the daily paper. I am a big fan of these because it helps the environment by saving a lot of paper (not that they don't try to make up for it with junk mail). There is an enormous selection of applications for learning, and I've seen my little brother and sister use these. They make learning enjoyable through creativity applications, educational games, educational computer simulations, and tutorials. They have so many new things I wish I'd had when I was a kid, especially with those boring subjects like history.
I was surprised at the web search assignment we did in class. I didn't expect to learn much, but I learned a lot of useful things, the teacher blogs I was probably the most interested in. I actually got sidetracked reading a particular high school teacher's account of her profession, and she seemed to really be dedicated and happy. I'd always had teaching in the back of my mind, sort of as a backup plan, I thought, because I would want to make more than a teacher's salary. I like to think I do very well in school, and I'm not trying to brag, but teaching is definitely not a backup plan, I could do whatever I set my mind to. This summer I realized that what I wanted to do with my life, what I looked at as a backup plan, was what would ultimately make me happy and satisfied. Reading this teacher's blog reinforced my enthusiasm and excitement to start teaching. She was in love with it, and I know I will be too.
I would just like to say that I had laryngitis for the past week or so, and I sounded like I smoked a pack a day. I guess that and the flu are going around, so be careful. Also, has anyone noticed the crazy guy by the union who wore a shirt today saying "Accept Jesus or burn in hell"? Funniest thing to watch, he runs around in circles and stuff sometimes if someone makes him really mad.
I was surprised at the web search assignment we did in class. I didn't expect to learn much, but I learned a lot of useful things, the teacher blogs I was probably the most interested in. I actually got sidetracked reading a particular high school teacher's account of her profession, and she seemed to really be dedicated and happy. I'd always had teaching in the back of my mind, sort of as a backup plan, I thought, because I would want to make more than a teacher's salary. I like to think I do very well in school, and I'm not trying to brag, but teaching is definitely not a backup plan, I could do whatever I set my mind to. This summer I realized that what I wanted to do with my life, what I looked at as a backup plan, was what would ultimately make me happy and satisfied. Reading this teacher's blog reinforced my enthusiasm and excitement to start teaching. She was in love with it, and I know I will be too.
I would just like to say that I had laryngitis for the past week or so, and I sounded like I smoked a pack a day. I guess that and the flu are going around, so be careful. Also, has anyone noticed the crazy guy by the union who wore a shirt today saying "Accept Jesus or burn in hell"? Funniest thing to watch, he runs around in circles and stuff sometimes if someone makes him really mad.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Post #3
Chapter 4 had little interesting facts I had not known. For example, I learned that the #0 means off, and #1 means on in the binary system. I'd known that the binary system used sequences of 1s and 0s, but wasn't aware that on and off were the electronic translations of each. Besides interesting information relating to PC cards, flash drives, FireWire ports, etc., the rest of the information included in the chapter seemed irrelevant to the career as an educator. Unless one is hoping to teach technology courses, the information described is probably not useful, not to mention unnecessary, as I have discovered is the theme for a majority of the text. For instance, in figure 4-56 (p. 241) "Some guidelines for the proper care of CDs and DVDs" explains that CDs and DVDs will be damaged if one touches the 'underside of the disk', or 'exposes the disc to excessive heat or sunlight'. Common sense, people. I mean, really, was it worth that tree?
I learned some new things about microsoft word I didn't know before in the practice test on SAM. For instance, I didn't know how the mailing program functioned, and now I can print out envelopes with addresses on them. If I were to have a chance to talk to the creators of the SAM software, however, I would suggest shorter practices. The 120 question practice took me just shy of two hours to complete. Also, I would have finished sooner if some of the questions worked properly. Either the problem would freeze and I'd have to skip it or I would do exactly as it asked and the program would still not consider that I had completed it properly. Even when I was taking my test, it did not count one of my questions right because SAM had taken too long to load and I clicked on the screen a few times. By the time the test popped up it had counted those clicks as 3 wrong chances and I got the problem wrong. In short, this program is frustrating and some bugs need to be worked out before they try and sell a program to us for $55.
Aside from complaining and my bad mood, which I attribute to the dreary rainy day and my wet pant legs, I would like to end this note with a positive outlook. Give me a moment, I'll try. I learned through my literature courses that in order to get your students interested, you have to pick an interesting book to begin with. A few of my professors have a problem doing so, and these are books of their choice, not required reading for the course. Being an english education major, I will most likely teach high school, and choosing interesting books for kids who most likely aren't interested in reading in the first place will be a challenge. Beowulf will not be included in my reading list if I have a choice.
Cuidate,
Kate
I learned some new things about microsoft word I didn't know before in the practice test on SAM. For instance, I didn't know how the mailing program functioned, and now I can print out envelopes with addresses on them. If I were to have a chance to talk to the creators of the SAM software, however, I would suggest shorter practices. The 120 question practice took me just shy of two hours to complete. Also, I would have finished sooner if some of the questions worked properly. Either the problem would freeze and I'd have to skip it or I would do exactly as it asked and the program would still not consider that I had completed it properly. Even when I was taking my test, it did not count one of my questions right because SAM had taken too long to load and I clicked on the screen a few times. By the time the test popped up it had counted those clicks as 3 wrong chances and I got the problem wrong. In short, this program is frustrating and some bugs need to be worked out before they try and sell a program to us for $55.
Aside from complaining and my bad mood, which I attribute to the dreary rainy day and my wet pant legs, I would like to end this note with a positive outlook. Give me a moment, I'll try. I learned through my literature courses that in order to get your students interested, you have to pick an interesting book to begin with. A few of my professors have a problem doing so, and these are books of their choice, not required reading for the course. Being an english education major, I will most likely teach high school, and choosing interesting books for kids who most likely aren't interested in reading in the first place will be a challenge. Beowulf will not be included in my reading list if I have a choice.
Cuidate,
Kate
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Chapter three seemed a little simple to me, discussing voice recognition and note taking software, technology our generation is already used to and exposed to. As far as productivity software such as word processing and spreadsheets, both applications are extremely useful, especially in the teaching profession. Presentation software is also very familiar, Powerpoint being the main application exposed to us. It was good to learn that there are technologies created specifically for school purposes, such as school management software, grade book software (that will come in handy), and reference software.
Since my last posting I've learned how to create school newsletters and quizzes for class. I believe these things will be very helpful to me in the future because otherwise my quizzes would've looked extremely sloppy and my students would have made fun of me =(. I did not learn a lot of these things through my previous technology course, and am surprised and interested in the neat things you can do with microsoft word, an application I'm familiar with on the basis of essays and little else.
I would just like to share that I have read two very good books in the last two weeks for a couple of my classes; Oranges are not the only Fruit by Jeannette Winterson, and The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. If you have any free time, or just like to read, these books are great. I sound like Lavaar Burton on Reading Rainbow... ahhh I loved that show back in the day. Does anyone remember Bill Nye the Science Guy, Wishbone, or The Magic Schoolbus? Our children are going to be so deprived with their limited Spanish vocabulary they pick up from Dora...
Since my last posting I've learned how to create school newsletters and quizzes for class. I believe these things will be very helpful to me in the future because otherwise my quizzes would've looked extremely sloppy and my students would have made fun of me =(. I did not learn a lot of these things through my previous technology course, and am surprised and interested in the neat things you can do with microsoft word, an application I'm familiar with on the basis of essays and little else.
I would just like to share that I have read two very good books in the last two weeks for a couple of my classes; Oranges are not the only Fruit by Jeannette Winterson, and The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. If you have any free time, or just like to read, these books are great. I sound like Lavaar Burton on Reading Rainbow... ahhh I loved that show back in the day. Does anyone remember Bill Nye the Science Guy, Wishbone, or The Magic Schoolbus? Our children are going to be so deprived with their limited Spanish vocabulary they pick up from Dora...
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