Journal Post #10

Focus question # 1:

-Differentiated Instruction is when a teacher incorporates in their lesson plan that gives students the option to choose which way they want to take in information and making sense of ideas. This is most popular in group works where some groups will be engaged in one activity, or some groups may have to write, while others are on the computer, and some students may choose to work independently.

-UDL stands for Universal design for learning. Along the lines of our engineering path through history someone realized that as new problems present themselves we needed to come up with creative changes thus requiring a new thinking process. This thinking process is what lead to UDL, UDL utilizes brand new research of how the brain takes in and utilizes information we now have with curriculum to accommodate broad student needs.

Tech Tool:

I am very skeptical about letting students use calculators in class, when it is not necessarily needed. I have found that some students become so attached to these helpful “AIDS”, which is what they were intended to be, just simple aids to help speed up calculations. Although these devices are extremely helpful and can be really helpful to keep students interest and students who may have vision problems. Martindalecenter.com is a website that has numerous mathematical and calculator tutorials it is a little complicated to get used to. When you first get on the website and you want to access the mathematical section of it click the link Mathematics center, once there you have access to over 2,000 mathematical programs and lesson guides.  

Summary:

In this chapter the main topic is to try to enhance student’s experiences with new technologies and teaching styles. It is important that we as educators do not come up with excuses why we cannot educate a special needs student, but instead try our hardest to ensure that we make accommodations for students with special needs to gain knowledge of core curriculum. As we are beginning educators our teaching style needs to be developed and there are three styles this chapter looks at. The first is the one I will use most often:

Low tech in which the classroom is taught with little to no technology relying on older teaching methods of the teacher talks and students listen or take notes. However in modern times this teaching style is less and less effective because students are not able to focus for as long as they used to, as well as the ever growing issues of ADD and ADHD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mid tech which is probably the educational strategy of choice seeing as how technology is used to promote organizational skills and time management, while still keeping core teaching styles of the classroom the same as before.

 

High Tech, which is brand new, implementing full technological teaching aids in the class curriculum. This is the preferred teaching style for the new upcoming students. It has essential tools to help improve student’s educational requirements, while also bringing up students with disabilities to keep them at the same level as their peers.

journal #7

Summary:
There are two main types of software:
System software- which is responsible for all the functions and control of a computer.
Application software- performs specific functions in specialized ways to produce a variety of services.
It then talks about the standard software apps people use like word, PowerPoint, Internet explorer, etc. that people may be very familiar with. The book even talks about what constitues a bad educational software which is: 1: the program, not the child, controls the activity.
                                                  2: The game promotes competition, steretyping or violence.
                                                  3: software favors quick reactions over long termed thinking.
Now point one is obviously true. Point two I disagree with competition being a bad thing. stereotyping and violence are obvious things we want children to avoid in a school setting, but competition is what our country is born with. I mean look at Manifest Destiny, Emilia Earheart, Cold War, Pepsi Coke debate, Olympics (minus the scandalls), and Microsoft all born from competition. I mean I'm not qualified to teach, I don't have a teaching degree or nothing like that, but I mean to me it seems if we hand a student a little bit of pride and confidence and pin them against another student with pride and confidence by the end of the year we will have two students that will make einstein look like a washed up newspaper. I mean those kids would differentiate that guy's parables straight to the infinite trash bin.
Another thing I found kinda cool about this chapter was the strong pull to get backed up by the math section. I don't know by clever design of my teacher trying to tell me "Hello!!!!! read the book you idiot especially this next one seeing as how its all about your field come on!" Or if I am the luckiest guy in the world and got a textbook with a chapter all about me, but what I believe is the coolest one is the ITS Intelligent Tutoring Center. Another one good for the elementary school level is Zoombinis, and what really stood out to me as just a fun time killer before work a game called MeCHeM I hope Irobot doesn't become a reality, but the good thing is if it does we have a military training program for it so we will be good. The reason why I'm being slightly condensending to this helpful program is the fact that the authors placed this fun program 15 pages away from their standard number two thus why I say IF violence is being used here my competition idea isn't that far off.

Focus question #4
Teachers can use games to aid them with learning because games have a concept of stealth learning in which students learn without really realizing it. Also games in which students are in control makes them want to learn. Now teachers can also use this for their kinesthetic and visual learners are the main focus for these games. Which is why teachers need to understand differentiation in structure, in which teachers plan their lesson in order to fulfill all the needs of all their students.

For example this is MeCHeM which helps students with chemistry. this game teaches students about which sollutions are effective for different types of reactions. In this case it can help teachers to teach applied chemistry or create a project based around this game. Seeing as how the current generations are the ones with the most access to technology such advances in school curriculum will deffinetly aid in learning.



Post #6

Focus question #3

 

Teachers organize their preferred electronic resources by utilizing a standards connector. A standards connector is a collection of web resources organized in an easy to use, readily available format in order to assist teaching difficult to understand topics. It is a well-known fact that it is easier to perform well in a class or improve academic achievement if one is organized and consistently prepared. Well the same goes for us as a teacher if we are: sloppy, slow to return student's tests, constantly late and wasting precious teaching time fumbling for our lesson materials, then there is obviously going to be a problem with our students. Whether our bad organizational skills start to reflect in our students, or they lose confidence in us as their instructors in the end the result is the same a decrease in student’s performance. So this idea of organizing web resources in a way to easily bring up the appropriate source for the right lesson is somewhat crucial for a teacher, vital for a teacher who wishes to be a technological teacher. A good way to get your Standards connectors started is to figure out which state standard you wish to have fulfilled with the web resource you are currently looking for. Next while you’re searching match up these standards with one or two web resources and then bookmark them with a bookmarking tool. Once finished you must tag the resources with a creative tag so you will never forget what each source is to accomplish thus leading to a fulfilled and complete Standards connector.

Tech tool:

I like the idea of interactive online field trips. Especially with recent events the way they are families may not be able to afford to take their kids to these interesting cool places outside of the country. Websites like culture.gouv offer everyone a chance to experience these interesting historical sites.

 

For example this is the entrance into the cave today and it shows the rock styling and the trees indigenous to the area.  

 

 

 Also these are some statues that were found inside the cave. Dating back to 30-35 thousand years, obviously too fragile for each student to take a close examination, but pictures last a lifetime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are just some examples of the numerous benefits that can come out of taking virtual tours. I hope in the future more will arise. I can also see it becoming a valuable asset to get kids interested more in reading, because for those who have difficulty reading and creating images in their minds these websites will show visually exactly what they are talking about.

Summary: In this chapter the main focus here is to promote web resources in education and providing us with the tools and strategies we will need in order to use these sources efficiently. It describes how the internet has provided us a cornucopia of information, but with that information if we do not organize and condense the necessary information so it is easier for us to use. The book advises us to use bookmarking tools so we can organize the web resources effectively. Social Bookmarking brings communities together so that way it is not just Mrs. Suzy has a great web resource, but the entire math department now have access to it as well. Then the book goes on to talk about the different types of activities students can enjoy using the web resources we as teachers find.

Jopurnal post #5

Focus Question:
Information literacy is the ability to recognize needed information and how to use this information successfully. This means two different things for teachers and students. Teachers have to find and research the online sources they use in their classes in order to be able to properely teache their class. This is less serious for students because the only real risk the student risks is their grade, and the problem of looking unintelectual saying abraham lincon was a vampire slayer. However the sollution for these problems are the same Information and communication technology literacy. Basically everyone needs to realize that not all information is accurate and trustworthy and like our class assignment has taught me I am very stubborn and don't believe I can ever trust the internet again thank you goodnight. :)

Tech tool: LibriVox
LibriVox is a helpfull tool especially in todays education system. Students are reading less and less and its not just the special needs students who are falling behind, all students need assisted help when it comes to reading. LibriVox provides that little boost of assistance wether its listening and learning how to follow along and enunciate correctly, or its the access to all the multiple languages.

Just imagine the possibilites. Studies have shown that students who know more than one language perform better on tests, and have a higher possibility of going to college. I don't necessarily believe it but hey when the numbers work lets go with them...So as a few examples a teacher can really have a brain teaser with their students by showing them a paper written in american english and one written in great britain english and see how many times a student says its the same thing just one says He and the other says thee. Humor aside I can see a few uses and benefits for LibriVox and for it to be such a helpfull tool with 13 languages at a click of a mouse for free is really amazing. Seeing as how in order to get the same deal you have to pay Rosetta Stone $50 to learn how to say hi in another language a task easily performed by google tranlsator unless you try to speack chinese other than manderin.

Summary: Overall this chapter warns of the right and wrong way to gain information from off the web. It explains how there are three different types of search engine search tools:

Free Text: Free text search is bassically like your search engine looking at you and saying bro I

 have no idea what your looking for. It is actually a handy utensil that is a great start for anyone starting research, because it will search everything and anything looking for what could possibly have a word related to your search.

















Keyword: A keyword search is like asking your teacher or professor for help. You already know the
                                                                                     Question you are asking about and your teacher
 is more than willing to assist you with specific
answers.










Boolean Search: The last from of search I feel is like monkey logic search.
The search engine basically needs you to tell it every little piece of information it will use and not use so hence forth like every programmer will be able to tell you it makes you question the paths you have chosen in life.








Reference:
Maloy, R., Woolf, B., & Edwards, S. (2011). Transforming Learning With New Technologies. Boston : Pearson Education, Inc.
(February 15 2013). LibriVox. Retrieved from LibriVox.com

Post #4

Focus question 3:
Digital inequity is the belief that adding machines to homes and schools will not, fix the issue that different social groups have different levels of access to technology. The thought process behind this idea of thinking is if you have a missing arm merely putting bandage on the wound is not going to solve the problem that your arm is gone.

It is like giving a caveman a computer, just because he has it does not mean he is capable of using it properly or unlocking its full potential. In fact you would just be adding to the problems associated with technologies. Viruses getting spread, unlawful use of technology, and the constant problem of inaqurate research.

Participation gap is the growing gap between students with full 24/7 access to the internet and those who have to go to a public place or library in order to gain access to the web. The idea is that students fall behind and do not posess the skills their technological peers have. However I disagree with this point purely based on the fact that anyone can learn microsoft office software, however the independent and personal drive is something that you cannot teach. The skills these kids pick up by finding new ways to solve problems and getting rid of procrastination. So its like a double edge sword the draw back of not having readily available technology has its own strengths and weaknesses but which is the true way to solve this problem.

Tech tool Edutopia

I am skeptical about this tech tool having just learned about what it means to do real research before I incorporate any information from this website I want to evaluate it. The authority of this website should get a 4 seing as how it is a blog posting and from a accredited writer, however there are 3 advertisements on the page, and no real sponsor is found and so the question becomes is it really Marc Prensky who wrote the article. The information seems relaiable however I would still be skeptical. so when I talk about Marc Prensky I will use "". "Marc Prensky" makes a good point about what is the point of updating software and computers if people will continue to use them like they have in the past and are ignoring the additional features about it (2013). Like so many other research we have learned in this class suggests "Marc Prensky" believes that utilizing these games that allow students to manipulate a "world" and be able to learn from their observations and become better students. The "Marc Presky" makes another observation he states that if we openly give technology to students they must be able to personalize it and not have to constantly get readjusted to a vanilla system. I have personally felt the annoyance of this when you have been using a system and customizing options and then it gets reset and you have to reestablish the same set up you had before causes class delays and frustration.

 

Summary:

This chapter starts off talking about the importance of incorporating technology to the education system and brings up points like Teacher mindset and Multiple pathways. which explain the only limitation for technology is the teahcer and that technologies possibilites are endless the only thing stopping its expanse are peoples uncertainty. It then makes a point that technology can automate, and it can infomate meaning that technology reinforces the good and erases the bad. there are a few ways teachers can use technology.

*Technology based library

*Technology based textbook

*Technology based learning environment

*Technology based teaching tool

*Technology based office

Then it talks about how to successfully integrate technology into the classroom which there is no set formula and every teacher has to figure out how much or how little technology to incorporate which i believe is the main outlook of this chapter.

References:

 

Maloy, R., Woolf, B., & Edwards, S. (2011). Transforming Learning With New Technologies. Boston : Pearson Education, Inc.

Prensky, M. (2005, December 12). Shaping Tech for the Classroom. Retrieved February 8, 2013, from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/adopt-and-adapt-shaping-tech-for-classroom



Journal Post #3

Focus Question #2

Student learning objectives are objectives that you plan out to have been accomplished by the end of your lecture, or lesson for that day. This type of planning mostly deals with what will be accomplished, not necessarily how it will be accomplished. An example of this is the learning objective that teachers in collier county high schools have to place in a visible area somewhere in the classroom. This learning goal addresses that the students are to learn, some goal or skill, on a specified day. From what I have witnessed though most students do not care or even notice the learning goal and hence it is a waste of the teacher and administration’s time.

Under standing by design I believe will work better for the high school and college level of learning. This design starts at the finish line and works backwards to a intended plan. For example like my Chemistry teacher taught she would have a goal “by the end of this class period my students will know stoichiometry.” Then she would think what is some facts about stoichiometry such as a mole is 6.223x10^23 molecules or atoms of an element. Then finally she would create a presentation in order to teach us stoichiometry and then by the end she has a full lesson plan ready to go.

 Tech Tool: thinkfinity.org

The way I see thinkfinity.org is like a gigantic boardroom that is empty.

The reason for that harsh description is that thinkfinity is sketchy because you do not really know who you are conversing with. For example I created a profile that says I am an educator teaching the k-12 grade levels. I can assure you that I am not a teacher, but to anyone else on the site I appear to be a legitimate instructor to which grants me well undeserved respect and accreditation in this sites social community. So the biggest potential for this site is now trashed by the fact that very little investigation goes into the peoples profiles thus leading to miss information. I know this is unlikely, and that I am probably making mountains out of mole hills, but think about Google or even worse Wikipedia. As instructors we warn our students about visiting these websites to obtain valid information and merely suggest them as a springboard for real genuine research. So as having that air of caution imprinted on my brain anyone who uses that site to obtain useful information this is my warning to you.

 

Now so far I found the site to hold true to my previous concerns. You have good assistive tools and you have distracting posts. However the best thing about this site though is that it kind of creates a place for you to establish a fine portfolio. You can list accomplishments and your prior work experience, but the site itself gives someone a grade on what kind of person they have been to the site, by how many people find your posts useful. So I will be monitoring this site curiously to see how it develops.

Summary:

This chapter starts off by talking about a teacher lesson plan, why we should have one and what benefits come out from having one. For example it talks about how a student observer felt like a teacher he was observing had all her lessons in her head, because she never seemed to need to consult her lesson plan and could change the flow or direction of her lesson plan in a second. However upon further investigation the book tells us that it was by her experience that she was able to do what she did. It then goes on to talk about what is learning assessment- occur before, during and after teaching lessons for instructors to be able to monitor students’ knowledge, understanding and performance.Then the book moves on to lesson planning and distinguishes between the two types:

-Student learning objectives-This style is like a daydream.

-Planning Using Understanding by Design-which acts like a blueprint you have an idea for a final project and then you take it apart piece by piece until it is complete.

 

 

Journal #2

Focus Question #2

Technology does provide unique assistance in the classroom. However before I talk about that let us take a look at how technology is used in the field of science. Computer technology whether people know this or not date all the way back to the Mesopotamian and Egyptian time period of early century. No date specifically exists that marks the creation of the first computer of course referring to the numeric calculator the abacus. So we as humans have always discovered innovative ways to simplify our daily lives the best we can. Even the Sextant was a marvel of its time and lead to many great discoveries such as America. Now back to the question this is how technology promotes learning. From the great minds of Phineas and Ferb on their cartoon television series the “stone-age was once the future so was the medieval period.” So now what does that have to do with just simply dealing out a few extra bucks to ensure a computer is in every classroom? It has everything to do with that to an outsider it merely looks like a computer in a classroom, but to a student it’s a library, it’s the milky-way galaxy, it’s the deepest depths of the oceans. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” to some this represents a person well to me a computer is that person it’s not what brand or company made the computer it’s the limitless ends of information at the hand of a fingertip that makes this so great. That is what Chapter two in our book is trying to convey to us and explain that when you give a kid a computer you are giving them more than a hunk of plastic that goes bzzzzoooommmm.

Tech Tool Titan Virtual Tour

I have always loved and will always love the nasa.gov site it has tons of amazing features and informational interactive tools that to me no other site can compare. Although the images are not necessarily top notch like the images of history or the images we take of the deep ocean. However cut us scientists a break I mean we have only been space exploring for about 44 years compared to history we aren’t old enough to be out of diapers yet. My favorite activity from the site is the ability to explore galaxies and learn a new planet I’ve never seen before. The interactive planets are something new to me, but I hope to see more of them.

Summary of CH.2

Chapter two had great information to support their belief that technology should start being incorporated into the school’s Curriculum It talks about how computers make history come to life by allowing students to do more than just listen to history, but actually participate in interactive history boards bringing the lesson to life. It explained the three learning theories Behaviorism, Cognitive science, and Constructivism. It stated that teacher centered instruction or transmission teaching is out dated and is no longer keeping America ahead of other countries when it comes to primary and secondary TIMSS examination. So we need a solution and the technology we take for granted everyday can be the solution we need.