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.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
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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