Tonight's class was very simple. We went over mindmeister and pinterest. I really enjoyed covering pinterest because I use the site often. I find that it is very useful when working with students. Pinterest gives educators access to new and exciting ideas that the teachers can use in the classroom. Personally in my daily job I use pinterest to come up with art projects and games that my students can play during after school care. Pinterest gives researchers access to new ideas with links to websites that explain concepts and how to properly complete selected projects.
In addition, I really enjoyed learning to complete the final project. I was unaware that Google Drive gave students a way to create a powerpoint presentation without having the microsoft software. This is a great tool to teach students to use because all students can access this tool if they have access to a computer and google account. It is very easy to navigate and a fun way for students to present their findings and ideas.
Have a good night!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Social Media
Does Social Media, does it have a place in the classroom?
As the class progresses I do agree that education would benefit from more technology in the classroom. Students are so digitally involved in their daily lives that incorporating more technology into teaching content will motivate students to want to come to school. Using technology as a tool to teach content standards may make it easier for students to relate to different subject areas. I am all for technology in the classroom but I am not sold on social media websites.
Social Media I believe should be more of an extra outside activity, done on the students free time. I feel sites like Facebook and Twitter can provided a lot of access to educational material but they can bring major distractions into the classroom. Students are often too young to have access to social media websites because they get caught up into issues such as cyber bullying or chatting with their friends. These sites give students access to a lot of information they may not be mature enough to be viewing. Social media sites become more of a distraction and would make it difficult for teachers to monitor the students correct usage of the sites.
Do not get me wrong I personally use these sites but I feel young children do not need to be using sites such as these. Facebook and Twitter can provide great ways to communicate and learn but students at young ages tend to use these sites for immature drama and unnecessary information about their lives such as what they ate this morning. These sites would be great for parents and teachers to communicate and to provide classroom updates for parents but students do not need direct access to them. Possibly at the high school level it can be different but elementary and middle school students would survive without social media in the classroom.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
As the class progresses I do agree that education would benefit from more technology in the classroom. Students are so digitally involved in their daily lives that incorporating more technology into teaching content will motivate students to want to come to school. Using technology as a tool to teach content standards may make it easier for students to relate to different subject areas. I am all for technology in the classroom but I am not sold on social media websites.
Social Media I believe should be more of an extra outside activity, done on the students free time. I feel sites like Facebook and Twitter can provided a lot of access to educational material but they can bring major distractions into the classroom. Students are often too young to have access to social media websites because they get caught up into issues such as cyber bullying or chatting with their friends. These sites give students access to a lot of information they may not be mature enough to be viewing. Social media sites become more of a distraction and would make it difficult for teachers to monitor the students correct usage of the sites.
Do not get me wrong I personally use these sites but I feel young children do not need to be using sites such as these. Facebook and Twitter can provide great ways to communicate and learn but students at young ages tend to use these sites for immature drama and unnecessary information about their lives such as what they ate this morning. These sites would be great for parents and teachers to communicate and to provide classroom updates for parents but students do not need direct access to them. Possibly at the high school level it can be different but elementary and middle school students would survive without social media in the classroom.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Flip Teaching
Tonight's class covered multiple subject areas such as podcast, screencast, animoto, and flip teaching.
What I found most interesting was flip teaching. Giving students the opportunity to access course content outside of the classroom will reinforce understanding. Flip teaching uses videos to cover content, the students are expected to watch and bring back their questions to class pushing them to be responsible for their individual learning. I feel the use of flip teaching gives struggling students a second chance to master information outside of the lecture setting. In addition, it also can be used as a pre-teaching technique to possibly introduce new information to the students before the teacher presents new topics in the classroom. This type of teaching gives students control of what information they are receiving, it is hands on versus a lecture where many students cannot focus. I like the idea of making students responsible for their learning but I fear getting students to take flip teaching would be a huge challenge. Since the information is not being delivered in class by the teacher specifically how to ensure the students really are watching is my question. I would be interested in working with other educators who are currently using this technique and how they motivated their students to watch the videos.
What I also would love to use in my classroom is the animoto video creations. Using these videos to provide education for students can make teaching more exciting for the students. Also I would be interested in having my future students use animoto to create their own report presentations, it would bring them new and exciting ways to present their work other then poster boards and powerpoint.
Have a good weekend!
What I found most interesting was flip teaching. Giving students the opportunity to access course content outside of the classroom will reinforce understanding. Flip teaching uses videos to cover content, the students are expected to watch and bring back their questions to class pushing them to be responsible for their individual learning. I feel the use of flip teaching gives struggling students a second chance to master information outside of the lecture setting. In addition, it also can be used as a pre-teaching technique to possibly introduce new information to the students before the teacher presents new topics in the classroom. This type of teaching gives students control of what information they are receiving, it is hands on versus a lecture where many students cannot focus. I like the idea of making students responsible for their learning but I fear getting students to take flip teaching would be a huge challenge. Since the information is not being delivered in class by the teacher specifically how to ensure the students really are watching is my question. I would be interested in working with other educators who are currently using this technique and how they motivated their students to watch the videos.
What I also would love to use in my classroom is the animoto video creations. Using these videos to provide education for students can make teaching more exciting for the students. Also I would be interested in having my future students use animoto to create their own report presentations, it would bring them new and exciting ways to present their work other then poster boards and powerpoint.
Have a good weekend!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Gamification
I found tonight's class a bit confusing. The topic of gamification was foreign to me. I feel the idea is positive because it creates a way for course content to become more relatable to the current generation of digital native students. Using gamification in the classroom opens new doors and expands the mind of students in a whole new way. In the Cuesta Learning video I was amazed to see young children creating video games on their own. Gamification creates rigorous challenges for students to better use their imaginations when relating to education. The use of creating and paying games in the classroom allows students to see the progress they make and how they have improved from one assignment to another. In addition, being able to share the finished products of their games with peers creates a sense of accomplishment for the students. The students are able to socialize in a whole new way through the games. Although there is the concern that using games in the classroom creates a competitive environment I believe the overall ideals of gamification is positive.
Gamification and use of technology in the classroom is very beneficial, it makes students excited about school. Technology is motivating youth to have the desire to learn, this was apparent as well when we looked at the video on the students in Singapore. Watching the students and teachers in Singapore discuss how the students were not dreading attending school, made me think know wonder Asian countries are more advanced in technology. Singapore and other areas have embraced technology to make academics more interesting, leading to MOTIVATION! Motivated Students are students who want to learn.
Have a good night everyone!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Immigrant vs. Native
How does technology fit into the classroom?
In tonight's class we looked at whether technology really fits into the classroom. Technology is changing at such a fast pace many teachers including myself are at risk of being left behind. I am a digital native. In my lifetime cellphones and the internet have become the norm. I use a computer everyday for work, leisure, and school. Although I am classified as a digital native now, my status may change five years from now because the rapid rate that technology continues to change and evolve, it is difficult to keep up.
This constant growth of technology makes it very difficult for educators to use technology in the classroom, the students are more advanced than the teachers in much of today's technology. In the Digital Immigrant and Native reading we looked at how to bridge the gap between the two parties, native and immigrant, so that educators can engage students in the academic content while not overwhelming the digitally immigrant teachers. I feel it is important we as educators use technology to provide our students with immediate access to information because students are use to the fast responses they receive from ipads, televisions, the internets, and cellphones.
Yes, the immediate access to information creates new challenges for educators because it forces teachers to master new technological tools but it can make teaching easier as well. I provides teachers a fast way to keep students interested in course content, it provides new strategies to guide learning, taking stress of teachers. The use of technology in the classroom only requires teachers to ensure the information students are retaining is accurate. Google, AOL, Yahoo, MSN, Wikipedia, ect have made access to information instant but not always correct. I feel that not only is important to use technology to engage our students in academic content in a way that grasps their attention, but to ensure our students are receiving the right information. Technology can provide a huge helping hand to educators despite the digital gap but it does need to be monitored.
Have a great weekend everyone!!
In tonight's class we looked at whether technology really fits into the classroom. Technology is changing at such a fast pace many teachers including myself are at risk of being left behind. I am a digital native. In my lifetime cellphones and the internet have become the norm. I use a computer everyday for work, leisure, and school. Although I am classified as a digital native now, my status may change five years from now because the rapid rate that technology continues to change and evolve, it is difficult to keep up.
This constant growth of technology makes it very difficult for educators to use technology in the classroom, the students are more advanced than the teachers in much of today's technology. In the Digital Immigrant and Native reading we looked at how to bridge the gap between the two parties, native and immigrant, so that educators can engage students in the academic content while not overwhelming the digitally immigrant teachers. I feel it is important we as educators use technology to provide our students with immediate access to information because students are use to the fast responses they receive from ipads, televisions, the internets, and cellphones.
Yes, the immediate access to information creates new challenges for educators because it forces teachers to master new technological tools but it can make teaching easier as well. I provides teachers a fast way to keep students interested in course content, it provides new strategies to guide learning, taking stress of teachers. The use of technology in the classroom only requires teachers to ensure the information students are retaining is accurate. Google, AOL, Yahoo, MSN, Wikipedia, ect have made access to information instant but not always correct. I feel that not only is important to use technology to engage our students in academic content in a way that grasps their attention, but to ensure our students are receiving the right information. Technology can provide a huge helping hand to educators despite the digital gap but it does need to be monitored.
Have a great weekend everyone!!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
First Day on the BLOG
Tonight in class we covered how to use and create our google accounts and personal blogs. The course requirements were explained and all the assignments were given a brief explanation. The class was given an introduction to an interactive media website "Corkboard" where students can communicate with one another instantly online in the classroom. The class worked in pairs and helped each other through the process of creating a blog
-How to blog
- Where and why we should use blogs
- How to set up a blog
I personal found creating the blog a bit challenging. I struggled with locating my gmail account password and was not able to access my account without some troubleshooting. I found myself very confused at some points in the lesson. I felt a little tech-stupid. Although I struggled with setting up my blog overall it was a beneficial lesson. I hope to provide my future students parents with a way to keep up with what my classroom is doing and a blog will be an excellent way to do that.
Lastly, watching the Simpsons clips were very entertaining. It really made me feel bad for my past teachers. I think it is important to incorporate technology into the classroom because students are now more interested in what is happening on Facebook than in their textbooks. When the substitute teacher on the Simpsons used texing and social networking to reach out to the students to engage them in the course content was a cute idea. Watching how technology has changed is amazing and the facts presented such as "China taking all US jobs would still have a labor surplus" and "How students studying technology in school, after their first year everything they have learned is outdated" are shocking statistics. It amazes me how unaware we are as a population.
Hope everyone had a great evening! GO OBAMA!
-How to blog
- Where and why we should use blogs
- How to set up a blog
I personal found creating the blog a bit challenging. I struggled with locating my gmail account password and was not able to access my account without some troubleshooting. I found myself very confused at some points in the lesson. I felt a little tech-stupid. Although I struggled with setting up my blog overall it was a beneficial lesson. I hope to provide my future students parents with a way to keep up with what my classroom is doing and a blog will be an excellent way to do that.
Lastly, watching the Simpsons clips were very entertaining. It really made me feel bad for my past teachers. I think it is important to incorporate technology into the classroom because students are now more interested in what is happening on Facebook than in their textbooks. When the substitute teacher on the Simpsons used texing and social networking to reach out to the students to engage them in the course content was a cute idea. Watching how technology has changed is amazing and the facts presented such as "China taking all US jobs would still have a labor surplus" and "How students studying technology in school, after their first year everything they have learned is outdated" are shocking statistics. It amazes me how unaware we are as a population.
Hope everyone had a great evening! GO OBAMA!
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