Saturday, January 17, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Journal 10
Journal 10
Making History
Esther Shein
Shein, E. (2008, October, 1). Making history. T.H.E. Journal, Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23394_5
In this article, Esther Shein takes a look at the different ways teachers are using technology to not only share information with students, but to give them an understanding of different situations they need to learn about. For a history lesson, Jennifer Dorman had her students reenact World War II in a podcast. Using information, such as video, music and speeches, the students take a pivotal moment to reenact. Students are able to get more information that isn’t in their textbooks. It also gives different perspectives from the war in a way that they really enjoy. Another teacher, Vicki Fuesz, did an activity with her students on how to run a business. After using a ‘paper’ based activity, it wasn’t a success, so she tried using a computer based program. Students learned how to manufacture, develop and finance a product. The children were very successful when they had to analyze problems in their company. One reason the students were so successful with the computer based program was that computers are their ‘comfort zone’. They are good at operating them and they are efficient. It makes it less likely for the children to get frustrated.
I think these teachers are right on with making their lessons more interactive. When I was in school, lessons that were more ‘real life’ and interactive, and those were the ones that I still remember to this day. Most situations we learn about it school are so abstract to students and they have no idea why they are learning about it. These lessons are great ways to not only teach students information, but to give them a glimpse of what real life is like. Technology only makes that easier and enhances how great these interactive projects can be.
1.) What are some lessons that can be taught in a Special Education classroom using interactive computer software instead of a paper/pencil?
It seems that in most Special Ed classrooms, there is a huge learning curve with each student. Because of that, doing any kind of interactive project is difficult. However, I think doing some sort of mock business activity would be a great idea. The students would get to use the basic math skills they are learning, as well practicing the social skills that many have problems with. The higher kids could take on the more difficult parts of the business, but everyone in the class would have input. This way everyone is working together and feel as though they have accomplished something.
2.) How does technology help a student instead of just using a pencil and paper or a textbook?
Students thrive when using technology because that is how they spend a lot of their time. They grew up using computers and playing video games and that is what they are comfortable with. The technology is not only comfortable to them, but the interactive software and learning games makes education a lot more fun than it used to be.
Making History
Esther Shein
Shein, E. (2008, October, 1). Making history. T.H.E. Journal, Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23394_5
In this article, Esther Shein takes a look at the different ways teachers are using technology to not only share information with students, but to give them an understanding of different situations they need to learn about. For a history lesson, Jennifer Dorman had her students reenact World War II in a podcast. Using information, such as video, music and speeches, the students take a pivotal moment to reenact. Students are able to get more information that isn’t in their textbooks. It also gives different perspectives from the war in a way that they really enjoy. Another teacher, Vicki Fuesz, did an activity with her students on how to run a business. After using a ‘paper’ based activity, it wasn’t a success, so she tried using a computer based program. Students learned how to manufacture, develop and finance a product. The children were very successful when they had to analyze problems in their company. One reason the students were so successful with the computer based program was that computers are their ‘comfort zone’. They are good at operating them and they are efficient. It makes it less likely for the children to get frustrated.
I think these teachers are right on with making their lessons more interactive. When I was in school, lessons that were more ‘real life’ and interactive, and those were the ones that I still remember to this day. Most situations we learn about it school are so abstract to students and they have no idea why they are learning about it. These lessons are great ways to not only teach students information, but to give them a glimpse of what real life is like. Technology only makes that easier and enhances how great these interactive projects can be.
1.) What are some lessons that can be taught in a Special Education classroom using interactive computer software instead of a paper/pencil?
It seems that in most Special Ed classrooms, there is a huge learning curve with each student. Because of that, doing any kind of interactive project is difficult. However, I think doing some sort of mock business activity would be a great idea. The students would get to use the basic math skills they are learning, as well practicing the social skills that many have problems with. The higher kids could take on the more difficult parts of the business, but everyone in the class would have input. This way everyone is working together and feel as though they have accomplished something.
2.) How does technology help a student instead of just using a pencil and paper or a textbook?
Students thrive when using technology because that is how they spend a lot of their time. They grew up using computers and playing video games and that is what they are comfortable with. The technology is not only comfortable to them, but the interactive software and learning games makes education a lot more fun than it used to be.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Journal 9
Journal 9
Avoiding the 5 Most Common Mistakes in Using Blogs with Students
Ruth Reynard, Ph.D.
Reynard, R. (2008, October, 15). Avoiding the 5 most common mistakes in using blogs with students. The Journal, Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23434_4
In this article, Ruth Reynard gives guidelines to teachers on the proper way to use blogs. While blogs can be a great tool, if used incorrectly, it can just make the student frustrated and not want to participate. Reynard explains that teachers need to have some sort of guideline of what they want from students. Without some sort of guide, students will get frustrated and have a harder time expressing their thought process in the blog. Teachers also need to explain to their students what they want the learning outcomes to be from the blog. This means to make sure the students will take the critical thinking, knowledge construction etc. and use it in the future. The four learning outcomes Reynard feels are important is analysis, synthesis, new ideas, and application. Students would be able to compare and contrast different ideas and take those ideas and incorporate new ideas. New ideas can only emerge when information is processed and applied (analysis and synthesis). Once students have these new ideas, they can only become meaningful when applied to real life. Clear grading is also necessary. This is another way that students will get frustrated if this are not explained to them. It is also important that students feel comfortable blogging. Because this is a public place for students to share their thoughts, it is necessary to make sure the right internet environment is used (blog, wiki, etc).
I think sharing your personal thoughts or work with the teacher is sometimes nerve-racking enough, but having to share your work with peers makes it that much more scary. I think it is very important to use these guidelines. People do not like doing things out of their comfort zone and this would be one of those things. The more instruction and information the student gets about the blog, the less ‘frightening’ it will be.
1) How could a blog be used in a Special Education classroom?
I think the idea of a blog would be something that would be difficult to use in a Special Ed class. If it was simplified a little, I think it could be a great tool to help students interact. Questions could be asked on the blog about the students interests etc and other students could go on and see what their peer likes, when they normally wouldn’t ask that question themselves.
2) What are the benefits of blogging compared to turning in an assignment that only the teacher reads?
When a student knows that his/ her peers will be reading their work, it is almost certain that they will put a lot more effort into that assignment. Not only will one person be reading their thoughts, but now a classroom full of their peers will be also. With that hard work, it is very beneficial for students to read their classmates work. Everyone has a different view on things and what one student gets out of an assignment; another could have had a completely different view. Being able to read other peoples work will give a student more knowledge that they never would have thought of before.
Avoiding the 5 Most Common Mistakes in Using Blogs with Students
Ruth Reynard, Ph.D.
Reynard, R. (2008, October, 15). Avoiding the 5 most common mistakes in using blogs with students. The Journal, Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23434_4
In this article, Ruth Reynard gives guidelines to teachers on the proper way to use blogs. While blogs can be a great tool, if used incorrectly, it can just make the student frustrated and not want to participate. Reynard explains that teachers need to have some sort of guideline of what they want from students. Without some sort of guide, students will get frustrated and have a harder time expressing their thought process in the blog. Teachers also need to explain to their students what they want the learning outcomes to be from the blog. This means to make sure the students will take the critical thinking, knowledge construction etc. and use it in the future. The four learning outcomes Reynard feels are important is analysis, synthesis, new ideas, and application. Students would be able to compare and contrast different ideas and take those ideas and incorporate new ideas. New ideas can only emerge when information is processed and applied (analysis and synthesis). Once students have these new ideas, they can only become meaningful when applied to real life. Clear grading is also necessary. This is another way that students will get frustrated if this are not explained to them. It is also important that students feel comfortable blogging. Because this is a public place for students to share their thoughts, it is necessary to make sure the right internet environment is used (blog, wiki, etc).
I think sharing your personal thoughts or work with the teacher is sometimes nerve-racking enough, but having to share your work with peers makes it that much more scary. I think it is very important to use these guidelines. People do not like doing things out of their comfort zone and this would be one of those things. The more instruction and information the student gets about the blog, the less ‘frightening’ it will be.
1) How could a blog be used in a Special Education classroom?
I think the idea of a blog would be something that would be difficult to use in a Special Ed class. If it was simplified a little, I think it could be a great tool to help students interact. Questions could be asked on the blog about the students interests etc and other students could go on and see what their peer likes, when they normally wouldn’t ask that question themselves.
2) What are the benefits of blogging compared to turning in an assignment that only the teacher reads?
When a student knows that his/ her peers will be reading their work, it is almost certain that they will put a lot more effort into that assignment. Not only will one person be reading their thoughts, but now a classroom full of their peers will be also. With that hard work, it is very beneficial for students to read their classmates work. Everyone has a different view on things and what one student gets out of an assignment; another could have had a completely different view. Being able to read other peoples work will give a student more knowledge that they never would have thought of before.
Journal 8
Journal 8:
A "Fantastic Super" Use of Technology: Closing the Digital Divide’
Diane Curtis
Curtis, D. (2002, November, 11). A '"fantastic super" use of technology: closing the digital divide. Edutopia, Retrieved January 5, 2009, from http://www.edutopia.org/fantastic-super-use-technology
In this article, Curtis discusses how much technology is integrated into Mary Scroggs Elementary School. While many schools use computers as a resource tool for students, teachers at Mary Scroggs take technology to another level. With a grant from BellSouth, the school integrates technology into almost every part of the day. They have internet, a daily closed –circuit school TV show, laptops, computers in every classroom, and software programs. Email is also a huge part of communication. The principal sends out a daily email to every teacher while teachers and parents are in constant communication. The BellSouth grant includes brain research on the students to determine the best learning plan for each child. They also loan devices to families who cannot afford internet are so they aren’t left out.
The people at Mary Scroggs are very lucky with the BellSouth grant. They seem to be taking full advantage of every piece of technology that is given. The technology of email and class newsletters is a great way to stay in touch with parents without it being overwhelming or frustrating. I love the idea of doing brain research to determine different learning plans. I work in special education and the most difficult part is trying to figure out how to explain to these children in a way that they can understand. The brain research would be awesome. I think the way the parents and teachers communicate and the way the teachers communicate with each other at Mary Scroggs is a huge reason why they are so successful.
1.) What tips could schools that don’t have the technological tools like Mary Scroggs take from this article?
I think the general way that the faculty looks at communication is a way that any school could improve tremendously. Most schools around the country have computers in each classroom, and I don’t think that teachers take full advantage of it. Many teachers resist calling parents back because they don’t want to be on the phone for forever. Email fixes that. Teachers in the same grade at Mary Scroggs meet once every other week to discuss ideas. I think that’s a great idea that brings the staff together and ultimately gives the child a better education.
2.) What is one idea from this article that would be most beneficial in a Special Education classroom?
I think something that would be very beneficial would be to have daily/weekly newsletter online for parents. This way parents could see what their child was doing in class, instead of sometimes getting no feedback at all from their child or the information being lost in translation.
A "Fantastic Super" Use of Technology: Closing the Digital Divide’
Diane Curtis
Curtis, D. (2002, November, 11). A '"fantastic super" use of technology: closing the digital divide. Edutopia, Retrieved January 5, 2009, from http://www.edutopia.org/fantastic-super-use-technology
In this article, Curtis discusses how much technology is integrated into Mary Scroggs Elementary School. While many schools use computers as a resource tool for students, teachers at Mary Scroggs take technology to another level. With a grant from BellSouth, the school integrates technology into almost every part of the day. They have internet, a daily closed –circuit school TV show, laptops, computers in every classroom, and software programs. Email is also a huge part of communication. The principal sends out a daily email to every teacher while teachers and parents are in constant communication. The BellSouth grant includes brain research on the students to determine the best learning plan for each child. They also loan devices to families who cannot afford internet are so they aren’t left out.
The people at Mary Scroggs are very lucky with the BellSouth grant. They seem to be taking full advantage of every piece of technology that is given. The technology of email and class newsletters is a great way to stay in touch with parents without it being overwhelming or frustrating. I love the idea of doing brain research to determine different learning plans. I work in special education and the most difficult part is trying to figure out how to explain to these children in a way that they can understand. The brain research would be awesome. I think the way the parents and teachers communicate and the way the teachers communicate with each other at Mary Scroggs is a huge reason why they are so successful.
1.) What tips could schools that don’t have the technological tools like Mary Scroggs take from this article?
I think the general way that the faculty looks at communication is a way that any school could improve tremendously. Most schools around the country have computers in each classroom, and I don’t think that teachers take full advantage of it. Many teachers resist calling parents back because they don’t want to be on the phone for forever. Email fixes that. Teachers in the same grade at Mary Scroggs meet once every other week to discuss ideas. I think that’s a great idea that brings the staff together and ultimately gives the child a better education.
2.) What is one idea from this article that would be most beneficial in a Special Education classroom?
I think something that would be very beneficial would be to have daily/weekly newsletter online for parents. This way parents could see what their child was doing in class, instead of sometimes getting no feedback at all from their child or the information being lost in translation.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Journal 6a Inspiration
I think this program is a great tool. It is great way for students and teachers to express their ideas in a creative way as well as a more interactive way. By using different symbols and pictures and different types of graphs, it makes it fun for the students and easy to follow the different ideas. I have very limited experience working with this software, but I did find it kind of hard to use. The tool bars where you would be able to change simple things such as font etc seemed hard to find. I might just be used to using programs such as Microsoft Word where all the tools are at the top of the screen. Maybe this is something that I need to learn how to do better. However, I don’t think that it is initially user –friendly to those using it.
Because I work in a Special Ed classroom, I feel that this software would be too hard for most of the kids to figure out on their own. It could be used to show the kids different categories (fruit, vegetables etc…) or to compare different characteristics of people. I haven’t checked out Kidspiration yet, but that could be a good alternative to the kids I work with.
I didn’t learn Inspiration through Atomic Learning. I learned it from trial and error and with the help of my classmates. I still have a lot to learn about it and am sure I just scratched the surface on the different tools that are available.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Journal 7: Interactive Whiteboards
An interactive whiteboard is a digital device which uses the technology of a computer to display images on to a screen. It is the combination of a whiteboard and computer. Images projected on the screen come from the computer. However, the interactive touch screen whiteboard can be physically written on with digital ink or images can be moved around with your finger. Some types of interactive whiteboards are the SMART Board, Promethean, ActivBoard, eBeam, Mimio, and Webster. These are all basically the same, with the exception of a few different tools.
Teachers like to use these products because it helps engage the student in what is being taught. Students can watch video, PowerPoint’s, or play web- based activities on the iboard (Interactive Board). That is just a few examples. Teachers like it because they can take simple lessons and enhance them. Things such as brainstorming, grammar lessons and math lessons can all be more interesting for students because it is more interactive. Another great tool of the iboard is that it will save lessons that the teacher has written out that day in class. If a student is absent, the teacher will have access to that lesson. If it was on a regular white board, the information would be erased.
The concept of an interactive whiteboard is great. Any type of technology that helps engage students is a great idea in my opinion. Students these days are consumed with visual technology, from the time they watch their cartoons in the morning, to playing with their Wii or educational software after school. To make an impact on students, teachers need to conform to the students way of life instead of vice versa. Besides the fun things students can do with the iBoard, I think it is awesome that teachers can completely save the lesson. It would be nice to have a copy of something, so the next time the lesson was taught, their would be some sort of guideline of how you did it last. With that said, while the interactive whiteboard sounds great, it just doesn't seem practical. Working at an elementary school, I see the cuts that are being made constantly. The iBoard seems pretty expensive, and unless the budget crisis changes sometime soon or the companies lower their prices tremendously, I can't see the iBoards being something my students could use.
Teachers like to use these products because it helps engage the student in what is being taught. Students can watch video, PowerPoint’s, or play web- based activities on the iboard (Interactive Board). That is just a few examples. Teachers like it because they can take simple lessons and enhance them. Things such as brainstorming, grammar lessons and math lessons can all be more interesting for students because it is more interactive. Another great tool of the iboard is that it will save lessons that the teacher has written out that day in class. If a student is absent, the teacher will have access to that lesson. If it was on a regular white board, the information would be erased.
The concept of an interactive whiteboard is great. Any type of technology that helps engage students is a great idea in my opinion. Students these days are consumed with visual technology, from the time they watch their cartoons in the morning, to playing with their Wii or educational software after school. To make an impact on students, teachers need to conform to the students way of life instead of vice versa. Besides the fun things students can do with the iBoard, I think it is awesome that teachers can completely save the lesson. It would be nice to have a copy of something, so the next time the lesson was taught, their would be some sort of guideline of how you did it last. With that said, while the interactive whiteboard sounds great, it just doesn't seem practical. Working at an elementary school, I see the cuts that are being made constantly. The iBoard seems pretty expensive, and unless the budget crisis changes sometime soon or the companies lower their prices tremendously, I can't see the iBoards being something my students could use.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Journal 6b iMovie
I really enjoyed working with iMovie. It was a fun and easy way to edit movies for an amateur like myself. It had really easy features, like dragging the clips to the spots you wanted, and being able to stick clips in between other clips you were already using. One thing I didn’t really like is how you couldn’t embed a picture etc into a clip. It seems like you should be able to take a picture or symbol and put it in the movie like you can do in Powerpoint. Other than that though, I thought it was a really fun program and I would definitely use it again.
I’m not too sure how I could use iMovie in a Special Ed classroom. I think it is great software for myself, but think my students would have a hard time with it. If anything, it could be a group project, where some kids could do easier jobs, such as helping film, while the more advanced students could help edit and put the movie together.
I didn’t learn iMovie through Atomic Learning, but just was fortunate enough to be sitting next to someone who actually knew what they were doing. I had a lot of trial and error also which helped me figure things out a bit.
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