1. What? - Summarize this course. What is it about? What technologies were covered? What theories/perspectives were introduced? Identify at least 3 specific things that you have learned in this class.
This course was a course designed to introduce future teachers to the technologies available to aide in the classroom. Many technologies where covered (power point, digital cameras, webquests, introduction to helpful sites to teachers, google tools and of course digital story creations). The three things I added to my knowledge of technologies are the google tools; I had no idea what google could be used for. Since learning the tools I have been able to create a google site for my daughters show choir and taught my daughter to write her “stories” on Google docs, so they will be saved and easily shared. I also learned how to make a digital story, I have always been interested in the photography tools online, but had never created a digital story, of all the activities this semester this was by far my favorite. I have already started to accumulate story ideas for my future classroom. I also learned about the UEN website and all the teaching tools available to me. This website is rich with useful tools for my future teaching career.
2. So What? - Why is this class part of your course requirements for licensure? How has it helped you progress with regard to the INTASC and NETS standards? Be specific.
This course is necessary to keep teachers up with their students in the area of technology. I think every certified teacher should have to take such classes every few years to learn what is new and exciting out there so they remain relevant to their students. This course has helped me increase in my INTASC and NETS standards, I am more comfortable with my abilities and am very excited to implement in my classroom. I feel this class is one of the most useful of all the education courses required of use as education students.
3. Now What? - Will you be using technology in your future classroom? Why or why not? If so, which technologies will you be using? Why? What do you still need to learn about technology? Describe at least 2 specific goals that you have for improving your technology skills.
Yes, I will be using this technology in my future classroom, I intend to use webquest for projects, I think this adds clarity to my instructions and a level of technology the students need to be familiar with. I will use digital stories and power points to help the visual learners in my classes (as well as my self to remain on task for each unit). My goals from here are to further my knowledge regarding the above tools I mentioned. I know there are many tools within power point that I need to learn in order to keep my power points interesting. I also need to remain in touch with new technologies, in order to do this I will have to visit websites designed for teachers to keep them informed. Also, as a mother of a teenager, I can make sure I understand all the new technology she discovers, I think this is the best way to stay up with what is relevant with our students.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Digital Story reflection
1. What? - Summarize the Digital Storytelling experience. What did you learn? What is this technology best used for? Will you be using it in your future classroom? Why or why not?
I learned how to take still pictures and turn them into a digital story with the addition of audio compilation. Since I needed to combine an audio track with a musical track I also learned to use garage band on the Mac. For a history teacher this technology is best used for an attention grabber at the start of a unit or as a wrap up piece. I will definitely use this technology in my classroom, in fact I intent to use the story we created as an introduction to a World War II unit. I feel this type of visual teaching is very useful in teaching history.
2. So What? - What does this experience say about you as a teacher? How are you developing with regard to the INTASC and NETS standards? Evaluate your personal and, if applicable, group performance on this project. Be very specific.
This experience opens many doors to the teaching if history. Instead of searching for the perfect video to open or close a unit, I can now create one. I feel that I have grown immensely in my technical abilities to prepare a digital video. I feel that my group worked very well together. We both have a passion for American history and where excited to share some of that passion with the rest of the class.
3. Now What? - What professional goals have been inspired by this project or have not been satisfied by this project (include at least 2)? Describe specific steps for meeting these goals.
I would like to have a digital story in place for each of the major units in history and I would like to teach my students to create their own digital stories as graded projects. I can begin now preparing my digital stories or at the very least start to collect pictures and music for the digital stories. I can also play with the different programs available to digital story making, this further understanding will help my confidence in my abilities making it easier to instruct my students.
I learned how to take still pictures and turn them into a digital story with the addition of audio compilation. Since I needed to combine an audio track with a musical track I also learned to use garage band on the Mac. For a history teacher this technology is best used for an attention grabber at the start of a unit or as a wrap up piece. I will definitely use this technology in my classroom, in fact I intent to use the story we created as an introduction to a World War II unit. I feel this type of visual teaching is very useful in teaching history.
2. So What? - What does this experience say about you as a teacher? How are you developing with regard to the INTASC and NETS standards? Evaluate your personal and, if applicable, group performance on this project. Be very specific.
This experience opens many doors to the teaching if history. Instead of searching for the perfect video to open or close a unit, I can now create one. I feel that I have grown immensely in my technical abilities to prepare a digital video. I feel that my group worked very well together. We both have a passion for American history and where excited to share some of that passion with the rest of the class.
3. Now What? - What professional goals have been inspired by this project or have not been satisfied by this project (include at least 2)? Describe specific steps for meeting these goals.
I would like to have a digital story in place for each of the major units in history and I would like to teach my students to create their own digital stories as graded projects. I can begin now preparing my digital stories or at the very least start to collect pictures and music for the digital stories. I can also play with the different programs available to digital story making, this further understanding will help my confidence in my abilities making it easier to instruct my students.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Webquest reflection
Webquest Reflection
On a Google Doc, answer the following questions using rich description, Metacognition, and critical thinking.
1. What? - Summarize the Webquest experience. What did you learn? What is this technology best used for? Will you be using it in your future classroom? Why or why not?
I learned how to construct a meaningful webquest for my students. The technology is used to help students use their Metacognition skills in working through a problem presented during a webquest. I will definitely use webquest in my future classroom; I actually expect to use the one we created for this assignment in my classroom.
2. So What? - What does this experience say about you as a teacher? How are you developing with regard to the INTASC and NETS standards? Evaluate your personal and, if applicable, group performance on this project. Be very specific.
This experience says that I am able to accomplish tasks based on computer skills. This is very important at this point in time with all the technology the students understand. I feel that I have been able to increase my abilities in regards to the NETS standards; I have developed a technical learning tool for my students. My group worked well together, it is always easy to work with fellow “history nerds” on projects.
3. Now What? - What professional goals have been inspired by this project or have not been satisfied by this project (include at least 2)? Describe specific steps for meeting these goals.
This project has opened a door to the world of webquests. I have to admit, I really enjoyed this project, since finishing this project I have already thought up several different such webquests to use while teaching. As far as goals are concerned I can the two I will work on are (1) create more webquest in important areas of my content and (2) create power points with action buttons for more interesting lectures and student workshops. In order to meet these goals I will need to look at lesson plans throughout a given school year and decide where I can fit webquests and power point presentations into the lesson plans.
On a Google Doc, answer the following questions using rich description, Metacognition, and critical thinking.
1. What? - Summarize the Webquest experience. What did you learn? What is this technology best used for? Will you be using it in your future classroom? Why or why not?
I learned how to construct a meaningful webquest for my students. The technology is used to help students use their Metacognition skills in working through a problem presented during a webquest. I will definitely use webquest in my future classroom; I actually expect to use the one we created for this assignment in my classroom.
2. So What? - What does this experience say about you as a teacher? How are you developing with regard to the INTASC and NETS standards? Evaluate your personal and, if applicable, group performance on this project. Be very specific.
This experience says that I am able to accomplish tasks based on computer skills. This is very important at this point in time with all the technology the students understand. I feel that I have been able to increase my abilities in regards to the NETS standards; I have developed a technical learning tool for my students. My group worked well together, it is always easy to work with fellow “history nerds” on projects.
3. Now What? - What professional goals have been inspired by this project or have not been satisfied by this project (include at least 2)? Describe specific steps for meeting these goals.
This project has opened a door to the world of webquests. I have to admit, I really enjoyed this project, since finishing this project I have already thought up several different such webquests to use while teaching. As far as goals are concerned I can the two I will work on are (1) create more webquest in important areas of my content and (2) create power points with action buttons for more interesting lectures and student workshops. In order to meet these goals I will need to look at lesson plans throughout a given school year and decide where I can fit webquests and power point presentations into the lesson plans.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Reflection on Digital Cameras, Picassa and Power Point
What-
This week in class we discussed the use of digital cameras in the classroom, we were introduce to Picasso and to Power Point. These tools were a review for me, so I thought. I learned new tools and ways to use these items in my classroom. I have always enjoyed doing Power Points for any presentation I have to give; yet I discovered I was in a boring rut. Through doing the activity in the book I learned some new tricks I did not know even existed. Picasso was somewhat new to me, I am familiar with Photoshop and iphoto, and I was excited to find out there was an online version of picture storage.
So What-
It is important for a teacher to understand the latest technology to keep up with their students. This is especially true of high school teachers whose students are at the height of the technology wave at all times. I intend to use Power points as a major tool in my teaching agenda. Being a visual learner myself, I have always gotten more out of pictures then a verbal description.
Now What-
I intend to go through the book on power point and try to create as many of them as I can. I thought I knew a lot about Power Point but as I go through this book I find out I only understand the tip of the iceberg. As for Picasso I have already started moving pictures over and am trying to learn how to make the pictures available to select people so hopefully by the time I enter the class room I know enough to include picture of class activities on my website.
This week in class we discussed the use of digital cameras in the classroom, we were introduce to Picasso and to Power Point. These tools were a review for me, so I thought. I learned new tools and ways to use these items in my classroom. I have always enjoyed doing Power Points for any presentation I have to give; yet I discovered I was in a boring rut. Through doing the activity in the book I learned some new tricks I did not know even existed. Picasso was somewhat new to me, I am familiar with Photoshop and iphoto, and I was excited to find out there was an online version of picture storage.
So What-
It is important for a teacher to understand the latest technology to keep up with their students. This is especially true of high school teachers whose students are at the height of the technology wave at all times. I intend to use Power points as a major tool in my teaching agenda. Being a visual learner myself, I have always gotten more out of pictures then a verbal description.
Now What-
I intend to go through the book on power point and try to create as many of them as I can. I thought I knew a lot about Power Point but as I go through this book I find out I only understand the tip of the iceberg. As for Picasso I have already started moving pictures over and am trying to learn how to make the pictures available to select people so hopefully by the time I enter the class room I know enough to include picture of class activities on my website.
Reflection on Publisher and Inspiration
What-
This week we explored a few different computer applications, which will be helpful in enriching our teaching ability. We learned how to navigate Inspiration in creating a concept map to help us organize our thoughts for the Internet campaign we needed to develop. Microsoft Publisher was also introduced to us, having never used this program I was amazed how much fun it was to create brochures, newsletters and flyers.
So What-
As a teacher it is important to understand all the tools at our disposal. I wish more teachers here at the University would learn to use these tools. For me Microsoft publisher will be used to help develop learning opportunities for my students, for example have the students make up a flyer as if they were revolutionaries listing the grievances with the crown.
Now What-
Since learning publisher I have already made up flyers for personal events I have going on. I intend to learn more about the various functions included in publisher. Inspiration I need to play with more to understand it’s full potential. I already used my trial version to of Inspiration to complete an assignment in another class. It will be a useful tool to help my students organize their thoughts for projects, or just to look at a chain of events in history.
This week we explored a few different computer applications, which will be helpful in enriching our teaching ability. We learned how to navigate Inspiration in creating a concept map to help us organize our thoughts for the Internet campaign we needed to develop. Microsoft Publisher was also introduced to us, having never used this program I was amazed how much fun it was to create brochures, newsletters and flyers.
So What-
As a teacher it is important to understand all the tools at our disposal. I wish more teachers here at the University would learn to use these tools. For me Microsoft publisher will be used to help develop learning opportunities for my students, for example have the students make up a flyer as if they were revolutionaries listing the grievances with the crown.
Now What-
Since learning publisher I have already made up flyers for personal events I have going on. I intend to learn more about the various functions included in publisher. Inspiration I need to play with more to understand it’s full potential. I already used my trial version to of Inspiration to complete an assignment in another class. It will be a useful tool to help my students organize their thoughts for projects, or just to look at a chain of events in history.
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