Collectively, the activities we did and the lessons I learned in IT 365 will help me in my future career as an elementary teacher. Concept maps with the help of Inspirations, a simple to use program, makes lesson planning and lesson aids easy to create. Brainstorming with concept maps allows me to come up with a variety of ways to teach a lesson. Not only can they be used as handouts, but also as assessments by simply leaving sections blank for students to fill-in. Movie maker is another resource I can use to introduce a theme or assign to students as a way for them to express information.
Web tools are designed to save instructors time by generating quizzes, checklists, rubrics, and worksheets. I will use these assessment tools when I am a teacher. Web games are fun for students to complete while they learn the content. Students are more likely to remember information when they actively construct their knowledge. Web games encourage active learning. Although I do not think plagiarism will be a major issue with elementary children, turnitin.com will help me teach my students about responsible writing so they will not run into problems later in their education. Until this semester, I did not realize all that is considered plagiarism.
I will use a web page, blog, and Google groups in my class. Similar to how the instructor of IT 365 used blogger, I will use it to post assignments and other announcements. I can also include important links to virtual tours, web games, and models. My classroom web page will include information that is more general to the class year such as contact information, classroom rules and consequences, and class schedule. In middle school, we kept journals where we would answer open ended questions about current events. I will use Google groups to encourage students to think critically about current issues and cooperatively solve scenarios.
My strong points include my understanding about the importance of technology in the classroom. At the beginning of the course, I did not like the idea of including much technology in the classroom. However, I now appreciate the variety of educational information available as well as the programs that facilitate learning. Brainstorming is another strong point of mine, so I will take advantage of inspirations. The assessment tools are fairly easy to use and create desired quizzes, check-lists, and rubrics. I understand the importance of technology and what will be required of me to uphold the standards set for me and the students.
My weak points include coming up with content to fill a website or blog, but I am sure with more experience will come more ideas. Once I am in a classroom, I will learn through experience and trial and error. Formatting and designing the website and blog are also weak points because they were the first time making both. The more technical tasks are harder for me because I am still getting used to using the programs.
To improve my skills and ability to utilize the technology available, I will continue to use and edit my web page and blog. By continually exploring the possibilities of these programs, I will learn more and more about what I can do with them. With this class I have been exposed to all these technology resources and I will be sure to utilize them.
All the lessons I learned in IT365 will be useful to me in my future classroom. All these tools will help me keep organized and efficient. I will incorporate technology in my classroom as a tool for me as well as for the students and parents. Through my blog reflections, I understand how the technology we used in class will help satisfy the NETS standards for students and teachers. The reflections also served as brainstorming for future lessons and activities. I will encourage my students to become digital citizens and try to close the gender gap. I will use all the resources I learned in IT 365 in my future classroom.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Google Group Reflection
An online class discussion board is a resource that helps support the NETS standards. Students use digital media to communicate and collaborate (NETS standard 2) with others to increase all students’ learning. With discussion boards, students can pass on information to multiple audiences as well as to students of other cultures. Students develop cultural and global awareness. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making is NETS standard 4. The instructor can display a open ended question or problem and the students make decisions or devise a plan or solution. By requiring students to reply to their peers’ posts, they learn from each other and are given other perspectives to consider. Because students can edit a post, the teacher can post a paper to be revised or have students add to a story to create a longer collaborative story. As a digital citizen (NETS standard 5.), the students will responsibly and effectively use the discussion boards to increase collaborative learning and productivity.
Discussion boards are different from web pages and blogs. Web pages and blogs are more reflective of the person who set them up. Students visit a teachers blog or website to get information specific to what the instructor includes as content. Blog comments can be read before they are allowed to be posted. With google groups, the teacher may spark a discussion on specific topic but students can respond to the post, respond to other students’ posts, and even edit a post. Web pages and blogs are more informational and more of starting points to assignments where google groups directly invite students to participate. Google groups allow more interaction between the students where as web pages and blogs can mainly be for teacher-student or teacher-parent communication. Discussion boards allow students to be more active in their learning while the teacher guides their discovery. Google groups offer teachers another way to meet their NETS standards. All three tools, web pages, blogs, and google groups can be used together to assist students inside and outside the classroom.
Discussion boards are different from web pages and blogs. Web pages and blogs are more reflective of the person who set them up. Students visit a teachers blog or website to get information specific to what the instructor includes as content. Blog comments can be read before they are allowed to be posted. With google groups, the teacher may spark a discussion on specific topic but students can respond to the post, respond to other students’ posts, and even edit a post. Web pages and blogs are more informational and more of starting points to assignments where google groups directly invite students to participate. Google groups allow more interaction between the students where as web pages and blogs can mainly be for teacher-student or teacher-parent communication. Discussion boards allow students to be more active in their learning while the teacher guides their discovery. Google groups offer teachers another way to meet their NETS standards. All three tools, web pages, blogs, and google groups can be used together to assist students inside and outside the classroom.
Plagriasm Reflection
Plagiarism is the use or imitation of another persons work meant to represent ones own original work without credit to the author. NETS standard 1. Creativity and Innovation is effected by plagiarism because students are required to use existing knowledge to create new ideas as well as create original work as a means of expressing learned information. If a student copies information or another students work but passes it off as their own, they are not meeting standard one. To meet NETS standard 2. Communication and Collaboration, students will work together to create original works. When a group creates a work, each student will be given credit for their contribution. Students bring their own ideas to the group to collaboratively create an original work. NETS standard 3. Research and Information Fluency requires that students will analyze, evaluate, and ethically use information they find from any resource. In order to become Digital Citizens, NETS standard 5., students must follow and support the legal and ethical use of information and technology.
The turnitin website is effective in identifying sections of a students paper that appears in online resources as well as other papers already in the system. The system identifies when students plagiaries other authors as well as plagiaries themselves. This prevents students from using their own work or a version of their work in another class or assignment. Turnitin identifies what percentage of the paper is found in other sources and can take the instructor to the source as well as highlight the copied or imitated section. Turnitin can be an effective tool to raise students awareness about plagiarism. In some instances, a student may not even realize he or she is plagiarizing, so turnitin will help him or her improve their research and analysis of resources. With this resource, a teacher will spend less time finding proof if he or she suspects a student of plagiarizing. With the highlighted plagiarized section of a resource in hand, a teacher can then prove a student has plagiarized. A student may just need clarification about what qualifies as plagiarism or punishment depending on the percentage of information copied.
The turnitin website is effective in identifying sections of a students paper that appears in online resources as well as other papers already in the system. The system identifies when students plagiaries other authors as well as plagiaries themselves. This prevents students from using their own work or a version of their work in another class or assignment. Turnitin identifies what percentage of the paper is found in other sources and can take the instructor to the source as well as highlight the copied or imitated section. Turnitin can be an effective tool to raise students awareness about plagiarism. In some instances, a student may not even realize he or she is plagiarizing, so turnitin will help him or her improve their research and analysis of resources. With this resource, a teacher will spend less time finding proof if he or she suspects a student of plagiarizing. With the highlighted plagiarized section of a resource in hand, a teacher can then prove a student has plagiarized. A student may just need clarification about what qualifies as plagiarism or punishment depending on the percentage of information copied.
Web Page Reflection
Classroom WebPages are an easy way for a teacher to continue his or her involvement with the students and parents. NETS standard 2., Communication and Collaboration is supported because students use the page as a way of communicating from a distance. The page can be very resourceful to students. If a student misses a class or forgets to write down homework, they can visit the site from home if a computer is available, to retrieve what they have missed. Providing an email will provide students an opportunity to ask questions. Students can find additional practice or games to reinforce the lessons they have learned. Parents also benefit from classroom websites. Parents can see what their child is learning and participate in their web games. Rules and consequences are posted for parents and students to see to reinforce what the students are told in class. WebPages should offer students more support once they leave the classroom.
Organizing a webpage will help me as a teacher organize my work. The lessons plan link must be up to date so parents and students are linking to the right information. Web games and activities must also follow the order of the lesson plans so students can easily practice the lesson being taught in class. By organizing a webpage, I am ultimately organizing the class because the two should coincide. WebPages should be helpful to page visitors instead of confusing. If a page is confusing, parents and students will not benefit because they are less likely to visit the page. The webpage can provide links to other important sites as well as to a class blog or google group discussion board. A webpage can be a starting point for students to become more involved with their work. They can receive additional practice or supplemental information. Through the webpage, I can guide students to other informational, accurate, and appropriate sites. This supports NETS standard 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility. WebPages are a great communication and informational resource for parents and students.
Organizing a webpage will help me as a teacher organize my work. The lessons plan link must be up to date so parents and students are linking to the right information. Web games and activities must also follow the order of the lesson plans so students can easily practice the lesson being taught in class. By organizing a webpage, I am ultimately organizing the class because the two should coincide. WebPages should be helpful to page visitors instead of confusing. If a page is confusing, parents and students will not benefit because they are less likely to visit the page. The webpage can provide links to other important sites as well as to a class blog or google group discussion board. A webpage can be a starting point for students to become more involved with their work. They can receive additional practice or supplemental information. Through the webpage, I can guide students to other informational, accurate, and appropriate sites. This supports NETS standard 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility. WebPages are a great communication and informational resource for parents and students.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Web Tools Reflection
Web tools is a great resources for teachers as well as students. With web games, student NET standard 3. Research and Information Fluency is suported because students will locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources and media including web games. Web games are fun and invite the students to solve problems or work out scenarios. They usually provide immediate gratification to encourage students to finish the games and learn the content. Standard 5. Digital Citizenship is supported because students learn to appreciate technology as a useful resources for learning and productivity. The web games provide the necessary instructions to complete a game, so all students from different levels of computer literacy can have fun playing the games. The animation and color used in many web games helps keep their attention.
Using web tools can help me as a teacher organize my work. Project Base Learning is a great site to generate checklists. I choose a grade level and project topic of writing, presentation, multimedia, or science. With these checklists, I can make sure the project objectives can be met and the students can see exctly what is expected. Quizstar, another create resource for teahers generates online quizes. I can decide whether only my students or anyone can view and take my quiz. Quizzes can be quickly generated because all I need to do is decide what type of question to have, how I want it set up, and then put in the information. The quizzes can be timed, allow one or more attempts, and have a specific begin and end date. With quizstar, less time is spent on formating the quiz and grading the quiz since it is graded by quizstar. I am notified by email when a student completes a quiz and I can login to get their score. Web tools are a great time saver and resource for teachers.
Web tools are generally easy to use so the most difficult part is content. When generating quizzes, sometimes coming up with 3 or 4 incorrect answers is dfficult. Rubrics need to be specific and point levels different enough to differentiate between one point to the next. Checklists also need to be specific and provide everthing I as a teacher expect if I expect the students to follow it.
Using web tools can help me as a teacher organize my work. Project Base Learning is a great site to generate checklists. I choose a grade level and project topic of writing, presentation, multimedia, or science. With these checklists, I can make sure the project objectives can be met and the students can see exctly what is expected. Quizstar, another create resource for teahers generates online quizes. I can decide whether only my students or anyone can view and take my quiz. Quizzes can be quickly generated because all I need to do is decide what type of question to have, how I want it set up, and then put in the information. The quizzes can be timed, allow one or more attempts, and have a specific begin and end date. With quizstar, less time is spent on formating the quiz and grading the quiz since it is graded by quizstar. I am notified by email when a student completes a quiz and I can login to get their score. Web tools are a great time saver and resource for teachers.
Web tools are generally easy to use so the most difficult part is content. When generating quizzes, sometimes coming up with 3 or 4 incorrect answers is dfficult. Rubrics need to be specific and point levels different enough to differentiate between one point to the next. Checklists also need to be specific and provide everthing I as a teacher expect if I expect the students to follow it.
Concept Map Reflection
Concept mapping is an effective tool for teachers as well as students in order to support the NET standards. Concept mapping can be used by students as a tool to support NET standards creativity and innovation because they can create their own concept maps as a way of using their prior knowledge and technology to create an original work. A concept map provided to them can be used as a model to explore more complex ideas and demonstrate to them the process of breaking down a topic into sub-topics. Standard two, communication and collaboration is supported by concept maps because they can be filled out as a means of communicating knowledge and working together with others to create or fill one out. Research and Information Fluency is supported when students use this digital tool to gather, evaluate, and use information. Once they process information, they can organize it in a concept map. Students are encouraged to become digital citizens and understand technology operations and concepts in standards 5 and 6 with their effective use and understnding of concept maps.
A planning map can help me integrate and plan technology in my lesson because it forces me to brainstorm more effectively. A mapped out strategy is easier to follow than one off the top of my head strategy. I am prepared and can even include hot links to easily bring up a site when I need. With my use and understanding of concept map, I can transfer my knowledge to the students, so they understand the effectiveness of concept maps. I learned that concept maps offer me a tool to plan multiple ways of teaching a lesson and incorporate accomodations and supplements if necessary. Once a lesson has been taught, I can make adjustments to the map if needed for next time. Brainstorming and mapping out the lesson will expose some flaws before the lesson itself. I will use concept maps as a tool to plan lessons, as a supplement to the students, and as an assessment. Concept mapping is one tool I can effectively use to meet the teacher and students NETS standards.
A planning map can help me integrate and plan technology in my lesson because it forces me to brainstorm more effectively. A mapped out strategy is easier to follow than one off the top of my head strategy. I am prepared and can even include hot links to easily bring up a site when I need. With my use and understanding of concept map, I can transfer my knowledge to the students, so they understand the effectiveness of concept maps. I learned that concept maps offer me a tool to plan multiple ways of teaching a lesson and incorporate accomodations and supplements if necessary. Once a lesson has been taught, I can make adjustments to the map if needed for next time. Brainstorming and mapping out the lesson will expose some flaws before the lesson itself. I will use concept maps as a tool to plan lessons, as a supplement to the students, and as an assessment. Concept mapping is one tool I can effectively use to meet the teacher and students NETS standards.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Movie Maker Reflection
Using the movie maker program, students can collaboratively research and create a movie based on different biomes. Each group will be assigned a biome to research and develop a movie to reflect their findings. This assignment will satisfy the following NETS standard:
1.Creativity and Innovation
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students will use their research skills to find photos of their assigned biome and create an original movie that incorporates the pictures and written characteristic of their biome. The five major biomes are: Aquatic, Desert, Grassland, Forest, and Tundra. Each group will be assigned a biome and collect pictures and information about the plants and animals indigenous to that area. Biomes are classified based on the climate and the plants and animals that can live there.
The movie should include a title and credit page, 10-15 pictures, an appropriate song, and at least 5 slides with text on them. Once all the groups have completed their biome movies, they will rotate to watch all the other biome movies. After watching all the movies, each student will compare their biome with another groups biome to answer why the plants and animals from their biome could not exist in the other and what adaptations have been made in each biome so that the plants and animals could exist. With this activity, students are using their creative thinking skills and creating original group expressions through the use of technology. Collaboratively the students will use media to communicate their learned knowledge to exchange with the other groups, and individually use another group’s expressions to further their learning.
1.Creativity and Innovation
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students will use their research skills to find photos of their assigned biome and create an original movie that incorporates the pictures and written characteristic of their biome. The five major biomes are: Aquatic, Desert, Grassland, Forest, and Tundra. Each group will be assigned a biome and collect pictures and information about the plants and animals indigenous to that area. Biomes are classified based on the climate and the plants and animals that can live there.
The movie should include a title and credit page, 10-15 pictures, an appropriate song, and at least 5 slides with text on them. Once all the groups have completed their biome movies, they will rotate to watch all the other biome movies. After watching all the movies, each student will compare their biome with another groups biome to answer why the plants and animals from their biome could not exist in the other and what adaptations have been made in each biome so that the plants and animals could exist. With this activity, students are using their creative thinking skills and creating original group expressions through the use of technology. Collaboratively the students will use media to communicate their learned knowledge to exchange with the other groups, and individually use another group’s expressions to further their learning.
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