When I first entered this course, I honestly did not know much about technology. I may still be somewhat "behind" when it comes to completely understanding it, but I can honestly say I have learned A TON!! I was very uncomfortable at the beginning, having all this different technological tools thrown at me at once, but soon enough I began to get the hang of it all. Through this course I have become more comfortable using technology personally, which makes me more comfortable using technology in the classroom. I have understood and learned how important integrating technology into the classroom is, and how much better of a learning experience having the technology in the classroom can occur. I think that using technology in the classroom can make for a more fun experience for both teacher and learner. The teacher can have different and interesting ways to present the information, and the students can all benefit from different teaching styles using the technology in the classroom. It definitely can help make uninterested students more interested in the information.
I think that it is important to know that students do not just use technology to learn. There are different ways that students can use technology to make a difference in the world (and still learn a bit too!). By having students use technology in the classroom in a service learning project, students are able to make a difference in the world, are able to connect with individuals, to build awareness for causes, and to become more informed citizens. Through making this difference in their community, they are also learning how to use technology too, which can help benefit them in their future endeavors. Furthermore, they are still making connections to the subjects that they are being presented in the class, and can see a more real world connection to the information.
Technology also opens the doors in the way of instruction. I knew that, at the beginning of this year, I did not want to be the type of teacher that would just lecture and have students take notes. How boring, and ineffective too! I knew that I wanted to be an interesting and fun teacher, with cool facts and activities. Well, by using technology, students are opened up to a whole new world of information, that I can help guide them to (and that is not just from the horse's mouth... AKA me). Students have access to a variety of different information. They can access podcasts from different professors of various universities, can see actual pictures of primary documents online, and can play a geocaching activity to learn about geography. By utilizing technology in the teaching aspect, it takes the learning from a direct instruction, to a more hands on approach by the students.
I also think it is fabulous how involved the students can get with presentations. Before this class, my thoughts of presentations were very minimal-- PowerPoint or a poster board. I was unaware of the myriad of different options when it came to students creating a project or wealth of information. I think it is really cool that students are able to create their own blog or wiki, and voice their opinions or thoughts. I think it is wonderful that students, through a program like garage band, can create their own Podcast as a form of presentation. I also (my own personal favorite, cause, hey, I did do the presentation) love Glogster. I think it is one of the most fun and interactive programs for students. I love how creative one can get with creating a Glog, and I promise I will be using this in the future.
Lastly, I think it is important to note that we are all connected to each other. We have the ability to share information with other teachers, or to take information from other teachers. We can share knowledge, or just general great teaching practices. We can gather from each other cool websites to use in the classroom. By having a myriad of teachers sharing information with each other, it makes the learning experience infinitely better for the teacher, but mostly for the student. Lets face it, getting through to the student is key, and what better way to do in than a fun interactive technological tool!
Technology Concept Map!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Divided we fall...
After my practicum placements, I saw first hand the extent of the digital divide between classrooms at a school. In my first placement, a 7th grade civics/world geography class, my students had somewhat of an access to technology. Their 7th grade team had a lap top cart, that all of the teachers had to share. They also could use the schools "smart board," if they could check it out. This lower level group of students though did not have the access to technology like the students in the higher level classes. Furthermore, using the technology at the school was for some, the only technology they used at all. In my second practicum placement I was in an Advanced Government and AP Government classroom. The filter for the school was so strict, there was not much that the teacher could use online to enrich their curriculum. The only access to computers that the students had was the computer lab, if they could book it. The classroom I was in suffered from not being able to integrate technology into the classroom, because the school just didn't provide an adequate amount of technology for the students.
Before I was in these placements, I truly did not think about the "digital divide" in our country, let alone in our school systems. I was shocked when I saw first hand the lack of technology in the classroom. It was hard to see how some students were not able to expand their understanding of certain concepts and topics because the technology that would allow them to do so was absent. It is very important that students are given an access to technology in the classroom. I am not saying that all students must have the ability to tweet, and make podcasts, and do crazy cool projects on the computer... But it is important for students to be able to search and research online, and to be able to do certain things using technology. Every student across the board should have access at times to a computer and the internet. It is imperative that students learn how to utilize the internet, how to conduct good searches for information, and how to synthesize the information they find on the web. It is important that teachers have the ability to expound on the information from the textbooks with technology, be it clips from a movie, a youtube video, or a glog the teacher created to share with the classroom. Many times the students do not have access to computers at home, so we need to make sure as educators that we grant them the access at school. It is in fact where the learning "takes place."
If the school system that I end up working in does not provide the type of adequate technology that I deem necessary in my classroom, I will for sure take some action to change that. It is important to apply for grants as teachers, for technology in the classroom. We are the "spokesperson" for our students, and we need to make sure that we are doing everything in our power to provide the best source of education for them, which includes integrating technology in the classroom. If the grants do not work, I hope that I can take part in surveys or studies where some sort of "compensation" for my time may be some kind of "technological thing" that I can utilize in my classroom. Furthermore, I know that by rallying the community it is sometimes possible to raise money for certain things for the classroom, and technology could be one of them. Its bad that state funding for teachers is getting cut, but they have increased the spending on technology in the classroom, making the funding specifically for getting teachers up to speed with the technology and actually getting it in the classroom. There are certain other steps teachers can take to get technology in the classroom, posted in this 50+ ways to raise $$$ for technology Furthermore, schools could perhaps get recycled and donated computers to help bridge the digital divide. Many teachers ask for these recycled computers from businesses upgrading.
Many people debate what the actual cause of this digital divide is. Some claim that people "don't want to use technology" only making them fall further behind in this technological world. But that does not touch on the fact that some people don't have the monetary funds to afford technology in their homes. "Education and tax reform move a lot slower than the speed of technology. If they want to help low-income Americans, that's the gap policy-makers should seek to close." Maybe if we focus on this aspect of the digital divide, the actual "digital divide" will not be such an issue!
Before I was in these placements, I truly did not think about the "digital divide" in our country, let alone in our school systems. I was shocked when I saw first hand the lack of technology in the classroom. It was hard to see how some students were not able to expand their understanding of certain concepts and topics because the technology that would allow them to do so was absent. It is very important that students are given an access to technology in the classroom. I am not saying that all students must have the ability to tweet, and make podcasts, and do crazy cool projects on the computer... But it is important for students to be able to search and research online, and to be able to do certain things using technology. Every student across the board should have access at times to a computer and the internet. It is imperative that students learn how to utilize the internet, how to conduct good searches for information, and how to synthesize the information they find on the web. It is important that teachers have the ability to expound on the information from the textbooks with technology, be it clips from a movie, a youtube video, or a glog the teacher created to share with the classroom. Many times the students do not have access to computers at home, so we need to make sure as educators that we grant them the access at school. It is in fact where the learning "takes place."
If the school system that I end up working in does not provide the type of adequate technology that I deem necessary in my classroom, I will for sure take some action to change that. It is important to apply for grants as teachers, for technology in the classroom. We are the "spokesperson" for our students, and we need to make sure that we are doing everything in our power to provide the best source of education for them, which includes integrating technology in the classroom. If the grants do not work, I hope that I can take part in surveys or studies where some sort of "compensation" for my time may be some kind of "technological thing" that I can utilize in my classroom. Furthermore, I know that by rallying the community it is sometimes possible to raise money for certain things for the classroom, and technology could be one of them. Its bad that state funding for teachers is getting cut, but they have increased the spending on technology in the classroom, making the funding specifically for getting teachers up to speed with the technology and actually getting it in the classroom. There are certain other steps teachers can take to get technology in the classroom, posted in this 50+ ways to raise $$$ for technology Furthermore, schools could perhaps get recycled and donated computers to help bridge the digital divide. Many teachers ask for these recycled computers from businesses upgrading.
Many people debate what the actual cause of this digital divide is. Some claim that people "don't want to use technology" only making them fall further behind in this technological world. But that does not touch on the fact that some people don't have the monetary funds to afford technology in their homes. "Education and tax reform move a lot slower than the speed of technology. If they want to help low-income Americans, that's the gap policy-makers should seek to close." Maybe if we focus on this aspect of the digital divide, the actual "digital divide" will not be such an issue!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Teacher Leader
My blog deleted itself! So frustrating... blog 2....
Katzenmeyer and Moller define teacher leaders as those who “lead within and beyond the classroom; identify with and contribute to a community of teacher learners and leaders; influence others toward improved educational practice; and accept responsibility for achieving the outcomes of their leadership.” Being a teacher leader means many things. It is important to be dedicated in your students. It also is important for teacher leaders to not want to move up the job chain. Teachers leaders value the time that they spend with their students, and would not trade that for moving up the administration ladder. Furthermore, teacher leaders are dedicated in and out of the classroom. They are involved with leadership roles outside of the classroom, yet are also leaders inside the classroom, always trying to provoke more understanding and learning from their students. Also, it is important that teacher leaders associate with other teachers, adult colleagues their own age. Also teacher leaders must be able to influence others. Be it students, colleagues, or people in the community, teacher leaders are charismatic and are able to lead others to greatness as well.
Furthermore, being a teacher leader, one needs to be principled, honest, fair, and ethical. They must be respected by their peers, and care about their students. They must be organized. They also must be perceptive, empathetic, and altruistic. They must be sensitive to students needs, be able to assist them, and put the student before themselves. They also should be available to be reached, and full of resources. Moreover, it is important for teacher leaders to be forward thinkers and global. It is important that these teachers are planning for the future, and thinking on a macro level. This teacher must also be decisive and willing to take action when necessary. And moreover, they should be knowledgeable in their content area.
I know I want to be a teacher leader. Throughout my life, I have loved being able to help and lead others. I have always thrived in a leadership role, captain of soccer and volleyball team, taking charge of service projects, and holding office positions in clubs. It is important for teachers to take charge and become these teacher leaders. If more teachers dedicated as much effort and time to the students as some, the education system would be completely different. I strive to have all the qualities a teacher leader has. I know that I want to make a huge difference in students lives, because, hey isn't that part of the reason we went into this profession? I don't want to be the teacher that sits there and allows others to take the reign, or not at all! I want to make sure to help make changes in the system.
By becoming these teacher leaders, how can we get teachers that are not as willing to put in the time and effort to put more of an effort in? Or are these older teachers too comfortable in their ways? Can we help shape them into teacher leaders, or is the effort futile at this point?
www.aassa.com/Leaders.pdf
www.aea8.k12.ia.us/.../Teacher_Leader_Qualities_F1C6A23422538.pdf
Katzenmeyer and Moller define teacher leaders as those who “lead within and beyond the classroom; identify with and contribute to a community of teacher learners and leaders; influence others toward improved educational practice; and accept responsibility for achieving the outcomes of their leadership.” Being a teacher leader means many things. It is important to be dedicated in your students. It also is important for teacher leaders to not want to move up the job chain. Teachers leaders value the time that they spend with their students, and would not trade that for moving up the administration ladder. Furthermore, teacher leaders are dedicated in and out of the classroom. They are involved with leadership roles outside of the classroom, yet are also leaders inside the classroom, always trying to provoke more understanding and learning from their students. Also, it is important that teacher leaders associate with other teachers, adult colleagues their own age. Also teacher leaders must be able to influence others. Be it students, colleagues, or people in the community, teacher leaders are charismatic and are able to lead others to greatness as well.
Furthermore, being a teacher leader, one needs to be principled, honest, fair, and ethical. They must be respected by their peers, and care about their students. They must be organized. They also must be perceptive, empathetic, and altruistic. They must be sensitive to students needs, be able to assist them, and put the student before themselves. They also should be available to be reached, and full of resources. Moreover, it is important for teacher leaders to be forward thinkers and global. It is important that these teachers are planning for the future, and thinking on a macro level. This teacher must also be decisive and willing to take action when necessary. And moreover, they should be knowledgeable in their content area.
I know I want to be a teacher leader. Throughout my life, I have loved being able to help and lead others. I have always thrived in a leadership role, captain of soccer and volleyball team, taking charge of service projects, and holding office positions in clubs. It is important for teachers to take charge and become these teacher leaders. If more teachers dedicated as much effort and time to the students as some, the education system would be completely different. I strive to have all the qualities a teacher leader has. I know that I want to make a huge difference in students lives, because, hey isn't that part of the reason we went into this profession? I don't want to be the teacher that sits there and allows others to take the reign, or not at all! I want to make sure to help make changes in the system.
By becoming these teacher leaders, how can we get teachers that are not as willing to put in the time and effort to put more of an effort in? Or are these older teachers too comfortable in their ways? Can we help shape them into teacher leaders, or is the effort futile at this point?
www.aassa.com/Leaders.pdf
www.aea8.k12.ia.us/.../Teacher_Leader_Qualities_F1C6A23422538.pdf
Monday, November 2, 2009
the networked student
After watching the Cisco video and the Youtube video, I believe I have a better understanding of a networked student. A networked student is one that can utilize all of their technological tools to obtain a better learning experience. The networked student can utilize cell phones, computers, cameras, Ipods, etc. to research, comprehend, examine, and gather information about a topic they are studying. Through these technological tools, they are able to "teach themselves" the information, and take more of a hands on approach to their learning.
It is very important that students understand how to use these technological tools to become a networked student. They must have an understanding of how to complete "good" searches on the internet, and how to find "correct" information. It is important that the student have digital literacy to be able to fully grasp the depths of the networked student. Though, as I have found, practice does make perfect, and the more that the student uses the tools, the better they will become with the technology. So, starting the student off, and letting them experience all that the technology has to offer is another approach.
Networked learning changes the role of the teacher. Instead of being this "sage on the stage" individual, the teacher is guiding the learning. The teacher begs the students to find the information on their own, and is more of a coach than the "all knowing teacher." I think that this is very important. Instead of lecturing and being this "omnipotent" being, the teacher can guide their learning, and have the students engage in teaching themselves through doing. I think that this is a great approach, for too often the students do not become engaged in their own education, and I will most certainly incorporate this style of instruction into my own classroom.
Well, after searching many different blogs of the networked student, many of which are tied to Ms. Drexler! So.. I'll post her blog, which has many great responses to it!
http://teachweb2.blogspot.com/2009/05/networked-student-challenges.html
It is very important that students understand how to use these technological tools to become a networked student. They must have an understanding of how to complete "good" searches on the internet, and how to find "correct" information. It is important that the student have digital literacy to be able to fully grasp the depths of the networked student. Though, as I have found, practice does make perfect, and the more that the student uses the tools, the better they will become with the technology. So, starting the student off, and letting them experience all that the technology has to offer is another approach.
Networked learning changes the role of the teacher. Instead of being this "sage on the stage" individual, the teacher is guiding the learning. The teacher begs the students to find the information on their own, and is more of a coach than the "all knowing teacher." I think that this is very important. Instead of lecturing and being this "omnipotent" being, the teacher can guide their learning, and have the students engage in teaching themselves through doing. I think that this is a great approach, for too often the students do not become engaged in their own education, and I will most certainly incorporate this style of instruction into my own classroom.
Well, after searching many different blogs of the networked student, many of which are tied to Ms. Drexler! So.. I'll post her blog, which has many great responses to it!
http://teachweb2.blogspot.com/2009/05/networked-student-challenges.html
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
class notes
Chance- extranormal.com website. Civic values. Deal with a controversial issue. Research issue, take a stance, and create a movie, podcast or other to rally others. Also by petitioning and blogging, wiki. Reflection, whether or not they made an impact.
Zahara- learning about voting rights, go online, use resources, and teach other younger students what they learned through skype.
Michael- nursing homes. People don’t have family that visit. Students go visit people and interview them and make a digital story presentation through garage band and upload them to youtube. Oral history!
Adam- voter registration, voter information. Observe trends over time and create their own resources to get people to vote, or create their own resources on an issue. Then do a community presentation… booth in the school or community center. Media presentations and community outreach.
Megan- human trafficking. 17000 people in this country. Students would get into four groups. Digital story telling, brochure, podcast… compile them onto a website so they have a resource to do a letter writing campaign to send to congress. Promote awareness for this by uploading a blue heart.
Jen- military letter writing. Difficult to read, and snail mail takes forever. Write on the wiki or a blog to talk to all branches. They can send maps and videos, and students send videos to show military.
Josh- Veterans- interview for 30 minutes. Research the history to get basic background knowledge about the war the interviewee was in. Use garage band to do a 2-minute thing. They will then blog about their experience and reactions with the veterans. Then show the veteran what was created.
Jeremy- war on drugs, and awareness. Its intentions. Create a wiki on the war on drugs. Write their representatives, on a drug thing that they wanted to write about.
Megan G- Support a soldier, middle school. Paired up with personal connections. Work with the community to get support (care packages) for the troops. Learn about the geography from the soldiers.
Elizabeth H- operation Christmas child. Learn about the culture that it works with. Interview them and find out what motivates them to, blog about it. Conduct their own learning experience.
Eric- using technology to help the elderly. Can only use snail mail. Have students visit and have them talk to the elderly. Conduct an interview and research. Show them how to email and then re-conduct questioning. Write about it, and compile on an inquiry map.
Elizabeth J- increasing culture awareness, lecture on immigration, focus on culture and language . create a wiki on each country. Poll school on heritage.
Me- Habitat
Louisa- Nursing homes are lonely places, people without purposes. Students will ask themselves questions. Students will present their vodcasts to the nursing home residents. They have a “party”. Teaches students about history and oral history, and they form a friendship and keep visiting them.
Mark- Storybird. Knowing the avenues. Global warming. Talk to politicians. Use wiki. Connecting the class and students to politicians. Update the wiki with updates.
Katie- students will examine impacts on experiences. Visit nursing home, and conduct an interview. Ask questions, about their past, how did it shape their life. Students will create videos, using video or audio from the interview.
Jeff- go to local parks and see how people affect the environment. People leave trash everywhere. Help clean up the parks. Have students learn about wildlife conservation, write a blog what they did.
Megan p- students will research elections, voter turnout and trends. How the government has affected daily lives. Visit retirement home. Class make a podcast. Tied to voting. Send a thank you letter.
Britney- increase young people voter turn out. Mostly during an election year, typically young people don’t vote. Use survey monkey to create questions. Use myspace
Nichole- students will learn about voting and campaigning. They will learn about politics. They will use a google motion chart to look at trends, and create a wiki.
Angie- students will learn about their individual rights and teach them to the community. Students will select a topic, pertaining to individual rights, and put info into class wiki. Create an interactive display on their topic. Write to local government, police, lawyers, local businesses to do raffles.
Trish- have students communicate with students, and expand their cultural horizons. Students can learn about bias, and on the website showcase what they’ve learned. Talk about biases, showcase what they’ve learned. Write a paper talking
Alli- research newspaper articles. September 11th, read tradebooks and add to the project. About the patriot act. Interview what peoples knowledge is about the patriot act. Create wikis.
Carrie- oral history of the cold war of a family member, and create an article based on the interview. Upload onto a wiki, put the interview on. Provide info to the newspaper and bring awareness to the community.
Grieselda- Haiti study. Kids work with Haitian students and learn about the cultural aspects of their lives. Create class website. Collect funds and supplies to send to the students.
Zahara- learning about voting rights, go online, use resources, and teach other younger students what they learned through skype.
Michael- nursing homes. People don’t have family that visit. Students go visit people and interview them and make a digital story presentation through garage band and upload them to youtube. Oral history!
Adam- voter registration, voter information. Observe trends over time and create their own resources to get people to vote, or create their own resources on an issue. Then do a community presentation… booth in the school or community center. Media presentations and community outreach.
Megan- human trafficking. 17000 people in this country. Students would get into four groups. Digital story telling, brochure, podcast… compile them onto a website so they have a resource to do a letter writing campaign to send to congress. Promote awareness for this by uploading a blue heart.
Jen- military letter writing. Difficult to read, and snail mail takes forever. Write on the wiki or a blog to talk to all branches. They can send maps and videos, and students send videos to show military.
Josh- Veterans- interview for 30 minutes. Research the history to get basic background knowledge about the war the interviewee was in. Use garage band to do a 2-minute thing. They will then blog about their experience and reactions with the veterans. Then show the veteran what was created.
Jeremy- war on drugs, and awareness. Its intentions. Create a wiki on the war on drugs. Write their representatives, on a drug thing that they wanted to write about.
Megan G- Support a soldier, middle school. Paired up with personal connections. Work with the community to get support (care packages) for the troops. Learn about the geography from the soldiers.
Elizabeth H- operation Christmas child. Learn about the culture that it works with. Interview them and find out what motivates them to, blog about it. Conduct their own learning experience.
Eric- using technology to help the elderly. Can only use snail mail. Have students visit and have them talk to the elderly. Conduct an interview and research. Show them how to email and then re-conduct questioning. Write about it, and compile on an inquiry map.
Elizabeth J- increasing culture awareness, lecture on immigration, focus on culture and language . create a wiki on each country. Poll school on heritage.
Me- Habitat
Louisa- Nursing homes are lonely places, people without purposes. Students will ask themselves questions. Students will present their vodcasts to the nursing home residents. They have a “party”. Teaches students about history and oral history, and they form a friendship and keep visiting them.
Mark- Storybird. Knowing the avenues. Global warming. Talk to politicians. Use wiki. Connecting the class and students to politicians. Update the wiki with updates.
Katie- students will examine impacts on experiences. Visit nursing home, and conduct an interview. Ask questions, about their past, how did it shape their life. Students will create videos, using video or audio from the interview.
Jeff- go to local parks and see how people affect the environment. People leave trash everywhere. Help clean up the parks. Have students learn about wildlife conservation, write a blog what they did.
Megan p- students will research elections, voter turnout and trends. How the government has affected daily lives. Visit retirement home. Class make a podcast. Tied to voting. Send a thank you letter.
Britney- increase young people voter turn out. Mostly during an election year, typically young people don’t vote. Use survey monkey to create questions. Use myspace
Nichole- students will learn about voting and campaigning. They will learn about politics. They will use a google motion chart to look at trends, and create a wiki.
Angie- students will learn about their individual rights and teach them to the community. Students will select a topic, pertaining to individual rights, and put info into class wiki. Create an interactive display on their topic. Write to local government, police, lawyers, local businesses to do raffles.
Trish- have students communicate with students, and expand their cultural horizons. Students can learn about bias, and on the website showcase what they’ve learned. Talk about biases, showcase what they’ve learned. Write a paper talking
Alli- research newspaper articles. September 11th, read tradebooks and add to the project. About the patriot act. Interview what peoples knowledge is about the patriot act. Create wikis.
Carrie- oral history of the cold war of a family member, and create an article based on the interview. Upload onto a wiki, put the interview on. Provide info to the newspaper and bring awareness to the community.
Grieselda- Haiti study. Kids work with Haitian students and learn about the cultural aspects of their lives. Create class website. Collect funds and supplies to send to the students.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
service learning- habitat for humanity
Service Learning Project
Title: “Helping Homelessness in a Struggling Economy”
Area of Service: Environment and Civic Responsibility
Grades: 9-12
Subject Area: Economics/Civics and Government
Unit Description:
Students will pair with Habitat for Humanity in their community. Students will get into groups of 4 to do this project. Students will work with Habitat to help determine the costs that are involved with building a house and research cost effective ways of building these houses. Students will use the Internet to do this research, along with working with the Habitat individuals to figure out what a good cost effective solution would be in building the houses. Furthermore, students will conduct an interview with the Habitat volunteers to get a “hands on” account of the way that houses are financed. Students will place their reports on their wikis.
Next, students will interview families that have received homes through Habitat for Humanity to create “poster families,” and build support and recognition for Habitat. The students can chose a variety of ways to create these “Faces of Habitat.” Students have the choice to do a podcast, with uploading the audio of their interview. Students can also do a video blog with a video of the interview. Students can take pictures and write a story on their blog. Or students can create an “article,” in which they could e-mail out to individuals. By interviewing the families, and finding out their biographies, students are able to understand who the families are that receive the housing, and understand how their situation occurred. Biographies are very important for understanding the past and moving forward to the future, and it is necessary for any social studies student to be exposed to recording the biographies of others.
Students will then tie in what they have learned with Urban Economics. Students will write a post on their wiki tying in the details of the families and the costs, with how homelessness and poverty affects cities, as learned about in the urban aspect of economics. Students will research the effects of homelessness on a city, and what can lead to this issue. Students will then propose a solution to the problem. They will write this and post this in their wiki.
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards:
SS.912.C.2.5: Conduct a service project to further the public good.
SS.912.C.2.3: Experience the responsibilities of citizens at the local, state, or federal levels.
SS.912.C.2.2: Evaluate the importance of political participation and civic participation.
NETS Standards:
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.
Technologies and Web Applications Applied:
Students will be using a wiki to complete their cost assignments. They also will have the choice of any type of technology to complete their biography and advocacy assignment. They will be able to chose from a podcast, a blog, a wiki, an article, or etc. to make their Habitat advocacy assignment. They will also be using technology to figure out the cost benefits of building homes in different ways.
Assessment:
Part 1- Research and participation- Each group will be graded on the participation within the group. The group will be graded on the research and conclusions they present about the cost analysis of financing a home, and the solutions they present.
Part 2- Interview and Response- Each group will be graded on quality of interview and creativity if the technology and response they present. Students will be graded on the quality of they information they include, and the neatness of the presentation.
Part 3- Individual wiki- Each student will tie in what they have learned with the economics that have been presented in class. Students will individually draw conclusions about urban economics and will present this on their wiki. They will link homelessness to economic downturn, and create conclusions based on their analysis. They will be graded on the content of what they produce.Monday, October 19, 2009
Gandhi and his "followers"
I thought that this video was very interesting. I thought that it was crazy that people had reported the earthquake before it was truly "reported." With the technology we have in our hands today, we have the power to rapidly spread information, important... and not so important. Life for everyone would have been completely different had they had the technology we have today. Think if Paul Revere would not have had to make his midnight ride because he used technology to send the information. Imagine if there were modems like facebook and twitter during the Holocaust or Vietnam. These mediums would have changed the entirety of our history books.
Imagine if Mahatma Gandhi had "followers" on Twitter! Think how much quicker he could have spread his information to his true followers. He could have led India to independence and inspired the civil rights and freedoms much quicker than he did. He could have sent out a mass facebook message, or tweeted information about the Dandi Salt March,a march to the sea to collect salt in protest of the British salt tax, by informing everyone with ease the details of what would take place. He could have protested through technological mediums, along with his non violence protests. He could have easily spread information about the removal of the concept of untouchables and increasing the popularity of hand-spinning. Gandhi made an impact on the world, but think how much more he could have accomplished with these technological advances we now hold so dear to our hearts today.
Sure, in retrospect, technology could have been a wonderful asset to much of our history... It could have saved many time and effort in making a difference, or to promote the good for mankind. We like to think how much easier and better technology has improved our lives, and how much better it could have made the lives for those in the past... But what if this technology was used for evil? What if Hitler had the power to mass message Hitler's youth through facebook or twitter? What could have made history worse by having these technologies?
Imagine if Mahatma Gandhi had "followers" on Twitter! Think how much quicker he could have spread his information to his true followers. He could have led India to independence and inspired the civil rights and freedoms much quicker than he did. He could have sent out a mass facebook message, or tweeted information about the Dandi Salt March,a march to the sea to collect salt in protest of the British salt tax, by informing everyone with ease the details of what would take place. He could have protested through technological mediums, along with his non violence protests. He could have easily spread information about the removal of the concept of untouchables and increasing the popularity of hand-spinning. Gandhi made an impact on the world, but think how much more he could have accomplished with these technological advances we now hold so dear to our hearts today.
Sure, in retrospect, technology could have been a wonderful asset to much of our history... It could have saved many time and effort in making a difference, or to promote the good for mankind. We like to think how much easier and better technology has improved our lives, and how much better it could have made the lives for those in the past... But what if this technology was used for evil? What if Hitler had the power to mass message Hitler's youth through facebook or twitter? What could have made history worse by having these technologies?
Monday, October 12, 2009
Whateva, Whateva! I do what I want!
The video Michael Welch posted was entertaining and interesting. I dreaded watching it at first, thinking to myself that this was going to be a boring video repeating the same things the media claims about technology. This video was very entertaining, and brought the audiences attention in with the YouTube clips that he interspersed throughout the video. It definitely kept my attention and focus on the information presented. Though I wish that he would have touched on the different technological mediums, I think the YouTube part was very interesting. Though I really only watch the "typical" funny clips shown on YouTube, it does play a very large role in the lives of our youth. So many people utilize this website to watch a myriad of things. Really, any video you could think to want to watch, is on YouTube. I was shocked to find that so many videos are being uploaded, that they are being uploaded faster that it could be possible to watch them all. With all of this being poured into the web, it is very much a big part of our "media ecology." Throughout my entertainment I still feel the same way about social networking... to me, not much has changed.
I am not big into all the "latest trends" when it comes to internet technology. I rarely used a myspace in high school, and before this class, never used anything but facebook. It annoys and bothers me to watch videos of people just talking, pouring out their souls to God knows who. It makes me super uncomfortable to see people be uncomfortable in their video posts of their lives. To me, it just reinforces the fact that the "self" is very narcissistic. People need to stop posting these ridiculous video posts describing what is going on in their lives, how a workout didn't work for them, how their boyfriend broke up with them, or what class they just hate... NO ONE CARES. While it allows the person to experience things without fear, it is not how the real life is. Many people hide behind their computer screens thinking that they can post what they like, but that is not how the real world is. People need to be able to connect in the real world with people. They need to be able to talk and interact and have human contact. The self needs to be more like the video with the "one world." Not all for one, but one for all. In the words of Bob Marley... "Sayin' One Love, One Heart
Let's get together and feel all right
I'm pleading to mankind (One Love)"
While I believe that using certain sites on the web can be very beneficial to use in the classroom, I do not believe we should focus a major amount of time. It can be very useful to use Ning, Netvibes, and Twitter for a classroom. I think showing some videos on YouTube can add to the learning environment of the classroom. But I feel if we stray too far over this very fine line, that students will lose the real life engagement in the classroom. I think that students are now sitting back and hiding behind their computers, disengaged, and this has to change!
When do we have our students voice their opinions online? It helps loosen them up, that is a certain... but where do we draw the line? When do we lose classroom debate and move to debates on blogs? Are we forgoing too much of the real life interaction? Can too much of a good thing be a bad thing?
I am not big into all the "latest trends" when it comes to internet technology. I rarely used a myspace in high school, and before this class, never used anything but facebook. It annoys and bothers me to watch videos of people just talking, pouring out their souls to God knows who. It makes me super uncomfortable to see people be uncomfortable in their video posts of their lives. To me, it just reinforces the fact that the "self" is very narcissistic. People need to stop posting these ridiculous video posts describing what is going on in their lives, how a workout didn't work for them, how their boyfriend broke up with them, or what class they just hate... NO ONE CARES. While it allows the person to experience things without fear, it is not how the real life is. Many people hide behind their computer screens thinking that they can post what they like, but that is not how the real world is. People need to be able to connect in the real world with people. They need to be able to talk and interact and have human contact. The self needs to be more like the video with the "one world." Not all for one, but one for all. In the words of Bob Marley... "Sayin' One Love, One Heart
Let's get together and feel all right
I'm pleading to mankind (One Love)"
While I believe that using certain sites on the web can be very beneficial to use in the classroom, I do not believe we should focus a major amount of time. It can be very useful to use Ning, Netvibes, and Twitter for a classroom. I think showing some videos on YouTube can add to the learning environment of the classroom. But I feel if we stray too far over this very fine line, that students will lose the real life engagement in the classroom. I think that students are now sitting back and hiding behind their computers, disengaged, and this has to change!
When do we have our students voice their opinions online? It helps loosen them up, that is a certain... but where do we draw the line? When do we lose classroom debate and move to debates on blogs? Are we forgoing too much of the real life interaction? Can too much of a good thing be a bad thing?
Monday, October 5, 2009
Watergate
We found some very interesting podcasts by Nixon about the Watergate scandal. Many of the podcasts we found were Nixon's phone interviews about the scandal. This was very interesting to hear, and I believe that students would find this to be far more interesting and entertaining than reading about Watergate in the texts (though it was one of the more interesting things I studied in history). I feel like these podcasts would be very useful to integrate into an activity for a lesson on Watergate.
I think an interesting assignment would be to have the students study the case United States v. Nixon. The students could read up on details of the case and get in groups and discuss key points. One they decide on the basic facts of the case, they could discuss and decide on the constitutional issues regarding the case. They then could research and state why the Court made the decision that they did.
In addition to researching the details of the case, which students should do on their own or in their groups to work on their researching skills, they should be provided the podcasts to listen to so that they can get a different perspective on the case. Through these podcasts, Nixon is confronted with the scandal at hand, and students can see how he reacts to the accusations and questions. I think that these primary sources would certainly prove to be great additions to the lesson on Watergate. Furthermore, one of the podcasts is a video podcast, which is an interesting bonus for students to watch. Students could also be given the website http://www.oyez.org/cases/1970-1979/1974/1974_73_1766 which they could research the basic information of the case, and listen to oral arguments and the opinion announcement.
What students really are researching and deciding on (though the Court already made the decision) is this... Is the President's right to protect certain information, using his "executive privilege" confidentiality power, entirely immune from judicial review? The students can discuss this issue via groups and present their findings to the class.
Another perhaps more engaging activity would be for students to have a "mock trial" with the United States v. Nixon case. Students could each be assigned certain roles, including prosecutor, defense, witnesses, jury, etc. Students could research for their role, and be prepared to "go to trial." This would be a fun topic for students to participate in. They could use the podcasts as "evidence" for the trial, and it would make the trial more engaging because they have "actual proof" of what has been said by Nixon. It just makes the process seem more realistic!
Another great source for information...
http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/museum/exhibits/watergate_files/index.html
(I love the set up of this website!)
This is also a cool site with Nixon's resignation letter...
http://www.landmarkcases.org/nixon/home.html
I think an interesting assignment would be to have the students study the case United States v. Nixon. The students could read up on details of the case and get in groups and discuss key points. One they decide on the basic facts of the case, they could discuss and decide on the constitutional issues regarding the case. They then could research and state why the Court made the decision that they did.
In addition to researching the details of the case, which students should do on their own or in their groups to work on their researching skills, they should be provided the podcasts to listen to so that they can get a different perspective on the case. Through these podcasts, Nixon is confronted with the scandal at hand, and students can see how he reacts to the accusations and questions. I think that these primary sources would certainly prove to be great additions to the lesson on Watergate. Furthermore, one of the podcasts is a video podcast, which is an interesting bonus for students to watch. Students could also be given the website http://www.oyez.org/cases/1970-1979/1974/1974_73_1766 which they could research the basic information of the case, and listen to oral arguments and the opinion announcement.
What students really are researching and deciding on (though the Court already made the decision) is this... Is the President's right to protect certain information, using his "executive privilege" confidentiality power, entirely immune from judicial review? The students can discuss this issue via groups and present their findings to the class.
Another perhaps more engaging activity would be for students to have a "mock trial" with the United States v. Nixon case. Students could each be assigned certain roles, including prosecutor, defense, witnesses, jury, etc. Students could research for their role, and be prepared to "go to trial." This would be a fun topic for students to participate in. They could use the podcasts as "evidence" for the trial, and it would make the trial more engaging because they have "actual proof" of what has been said by Nixon. It just makes the process seem more realistic!
Another great source for information...
http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/museum/exhibits/watergate_files/index.html
(I love the set up of this website!)
This is also a cool site with Nixon's resignation letter...
http://www.landmarkcases.org/nixon/home.html
Monday, September 28, 2009
Child Labor Service Learning
Description-
While studying child labor in the U.S during the industrial revolution, students will research the alleged use of child labor in the production of the goods they buy. They will develop a letter writing campaign in which students will write letters to corporations urging them to monitor and prevent the use of child labor in their overseas plants and work with foreign governments to end the poverty that forces children to work. They will make presentations to other classes in which they will explain the issue and ask for other students to join the letter writing campaign. The letters will be mailed to the heads of the various corporations.
I think that this service learning project would be interesting to also use in an economics classroom as well. As a teacher, I could tie this project into learning about labor economics. Child labor could be discussed and tied in a labor economics section. It also would be interesting to do while teaching American History's unit on the industrial revolution. I think this project is very interesting for the students to do, and I feel like they will be enthusiastic about this project, and see its relevance.
This ties in with inquiry learning because the students can connect this lesson to their daily life. Students are able to do this themselves, and pride themselves on their "achievements." The students are able to write the letters themselves, and are able to go to the other classrooms to generate a response from them as well as the companies. It would be a great way for the students to work on and better develop their public speaking and writing skills in the process. This is also good for the students to really experience a good learning cycle through exploring and researching about child labor, discussing it with the class, presenting it to other classes and writing the letters. I also think this will stem great class discussion if and when the companies write back to the classroom.
As a teacher, it may be possible to mitigate the challenges of finding different companies by providing them with a base of companies to search from. It may be difficult for them to find companies and information on their own, so maybe giving them a few they could initially start researching with, then letting them expand on their own from there. Also, as a teacher, you might have to prepare a discussion if the companies do not respond back from the letters. Other than that, I feel like this is a relevant topic in the economy, and that students will enjoy this project and see its relevance.
http://www.servicelearning.org/slice/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=250
While studying child labor in the U.S during the industrial revolution, students will research the alleged use of child labor in the production of the goods they buy. They will develop a letter writing campaign in which students will write letters to corporations urging them to monitor and prevent the use of child labor in their overseas plants and work with foreign governments to end the poverty that forces children to work. They will make presentations to other classes in which they will explain the issue and ask for other students to join the letter writing campaign. The letters will be mailed to the heads of the various corporations.
I think that this service learning project would be interesting to also use in an economics classroom as well. As a teacher, I could tie this project into learning about labor economics. Child labor could be discussed and tied in a labor economics section. It also would be interesting to do while teaching American History's unit on the industrial revolution. I think this project is very interesting for the students to do, and I feel like they will be enthusiastic about this project, and see its relevance.
This ties in with inquiry learning because the students can connect this lesson to their daily life. Students are able to do this themselves, and pride themselves on their "achievements." The students are able to write the letters themselves, and are able to go to the other classrooms to generate a response from them as well as the companies. It would be a great way for the students to work on and better develop their public speaking and writing skills in the process. This is also good for the students to really experience a good learning cycle through exploring and researching about child labor, discussing it with the class, presenting it to other classes and writing the letters. I also think this will stem great class discussion if and when the companies write back to the classroom.
As a teacher, it may be possible to mitigate the challenges of finding different companies by providing them with a base of companies to search from. It may be difficult for them to find companies and information on their own, so maybe giving them a few they could initially start researching with, then letting them expand on their own from there. Also, as a teacher, you might have to prepare a discussion if the companies do not respond back from the letters. Other than that, I feel like this is a relevant topic in the economy, and that students will enjoy this project and see its relevance.
http://www.servicelearning.org/slice/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=250
Sunday, September 13, 2009
GIS... BS?
After reading my article on GIS technology, I became very intrigued. I had previously taken a physical geography lab here at the University of Florida and had to do a lesson using GIS technology. At first I was very overwhelmed with the program, because there were many different buttons and options to do many different things. Soon enough though I became more comfortable with it, and realized how much I could actually do with the program. GIS technology is now being implemented in many schools to teach students about mapping and many other things. GIS technology is being used by more than just people in the environmental field now, it is being used by government agencies and companies. It is possible to find out how many "15-24 year-olds live in a certain radius" to decide whether or not they should build a mall, or how many burglaries took place in a certain area to decide how many cops should be stationed there. GIS technology is becoming standard in decisions in many fields.
I decided to choose the article "Finding their way with GIS" that Nichole summarized. I thought it was interesting how the students used the maps the teacher provided to follow them and learn how to decipher them. I also thought it was great how students created maps using the GIS technology. It was an interactive way to create an inquiry based learning experience.
When I received my practicum placement, I found out that I was in a world geography class. I began thinking how I would go about teaching geography, and how I could make it interesting to a class. I think it would be very interesting for students in a geography class to utilize GIS technology. I would have the students use the program to create a community guide. I would have the students break into groups of about 5. I would have each group have a different section, one for schools, attractions, historical sites, parks and recreation, and a restaurant and shopping guide. I would have the groups use the GIS technology to find different points of interest for each section and create a "guide." The guide would describe where the points of interest are located, and give a little summary of what they will find there. They will have to use the internet and their knowledge of the city to come up with this, further implementing technology into the classroom. Then I would compile the groups into one big "community guide" pamphlet.
I feel like the students would be interested in this assignment because they are using the technology to map out different areas in their community. They would feel like they accomplished a big project. I then would pose questions to them like, "why would companies use this technology to determine where to build businesses", or "in what other ways could cities benefit from using this technology?" I would follow up with having them write a response to some critical thinking questions.
While I agree that GIS technologies can open many doors to useful ways to integrate technology in the classroom, and that it is very beneficial for many companies to use it, at what point does this technology borderline creepy and too much? i.e. geocaching....
I decided to choose the article "Finding their way with GIS" that Nichole summarized. I thought it was interesting how the students used the maps the teacher provided to follow them and learn how to decipher them. I also thought it was great how students created maps using the GIS technology. It was an interactive way to create an inquiry based learning experience.
When I received my practicum placement, I found out that I was in a world geography class. I began thinking how I would go about teaching geography, and how I could make it interesting to a class. I think it would be very interesting for students in a geography class to utilize GIS technology. I would have the students use the program to create a community guide. I would have the students break into groups of about 5. I would have each group have a different section, one for schools, attractions, historical sites, parks and recreation, and a restaurant and shopping guide. I would have the groups use the GIS technology to find different points of interest for each section and create a "guide." The guide would describe where the points of interest are located, and give a little summary of what they will find there. They will have to use the internet and their knowledge of the city to come up with this, further implementing technology into the classroom. Then I would compile the groups into one big "community guide" pamphlet.
I feel like the students would be interested in this assignment because they are using the technology to map out different areas in their community. They would feel like they accomplished a big project. I then would pose questions to them like, "why would companies use this technology to determine where to build businesses", or "in what other ways could cities benefit from using this technology?" I would follow up with having them write a response to some critical thinking questions.
While I agree that GIS technologies can open many doors to useful ways to integrate technology in the classroom, and that it is very beneficial for many companies to use it, at what point does this technology borderline creepy and too much? i.e. geocaching....
Monday, September 7, 2009
Wikis, blogs, and podcasts- Econ style.
After reading the chapters in Web Literacy for Educators, I realized there was a lot more about technology and the internet that I had not previously known. While it still is a bit overwhelming, I believe I am truly learning a vast amount of information which will prove to be helpful in my future endeavors teaching high school economics. I myself found it very helpful to know how to actually validate a website. I had no idea that a tilde before the name meant that the site was a personal posting, even though it may have come from an educational website. It blew my mind, I was under the impression that if information came from a .edu site, that it was valid information. While I would not have truly thought that the concentration camps were used to help fight typhus, that information, if found by younger and more impressionable students would be completely detrimental. More interesting information that I learned through the reading was that .org sites could be purchased by companies. I was under the impression that these sites were purchased by reputable companies, but soon learned that companies with alternative motives could buy a .org site as well. I think these chapters were extremely helpful in discerning reputable and truthful sites from sites that could be filled with misinformation.
An interesting wiki site that I found was http://welkerswikinomics.wetpaint.com/. Mr. Welker uses this site, titled Welker's Wikinomics, mostly as a study guide for AP and IB Economics. His students are required to contribute to the site. The site was the winner of the 2007 EduBlog Awards for "Best Educational Wiki" for students and teachers of Economics. This site is a great tool for the teacher and his students to communicate through their discussions on different subjects in Economics. There is a General Discussion forum where anyone can post discussions about Economics, and one specifically for his students to discuss the class. This wiki is filled with a myriad of information on topics in Microeconomics to Macroeconomics to International Economics. The site is a great one for any Economics teacher to get information from, or to direct their students to interact and obtain information from.
Mr. Welker also has a blog for his students that I fell in love with, http://welkerswikinomics.com/blog/. He posts and comments on different Economics articles, many from The Economist, a great source of information in the subject to keep students updated on the current events of our country and the world. He posts excerpts from the articles, and chimes in his comments as well. Then, the part I love, Mr. Welker posts questions, where the students comment on and discuss. Furthermore, the students also have their own blogs, where they do a "by students, for students" approach to learning. The students in his class post and comment on different subjects for their class, and the students have the chance to comment on their peers work. This is a great tool for teachers to use. When students know that their work is going to be published and read by all, it makes them want to put forth their best efforts in writing their assignments. I believe Mr. Welker is a great teacher, and has completely found a way to integrate this new technology into his classroom. And you know what? It seems to work!
I found it increasingly more difficult to find a good podcast in the Economics field. I found a great deal in college level classes, but finding a podcast for high school was near impossible. I was not able to find a site produced by students, but I was able to find a podcast by Jonathan Evans, a teacher of IB Economics, www.podomatic.com/profile/jonathanevans. He broke his podcasts into short sections, most about 5-7 minutes long. They were on specific topics in Economics, like The Phillips curve, or reasons for trade. This teacher had a bunch of different podcasts available for his students to listen to. He also posted pictures of graphs on his website. The problem I feel like I would find with Economics, is that graphs are integral to learning the subject. It is not just theories, the graphs help to explain the subject. I feel like video podcasts would be more helpful for students to learn more. This might be a good tool for students to post their ideas about Economics via podcast, but to instruct students, perhaps it should integrate video in as well.
I found these technological tools to be very useful for teachers to instruct their students, and for students to in turn voice their opinions. They are able to talk about the subject and discuss it, in turn truly allowing them to grasp the ideas and concepts in Economics. I feel that Blogs and Wikis are more helpful in the Economics field, because graphs are such a major aspect of the subject. Podcasts could be a useful tool, but they would have to be paired with supplemental handouts. Podcasts could, however, be a good way for students to get excited about the subject and to voice their opinion about the economy. I am excited to be able to integrate these tools in my classroom!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Readings
I found the chapters in Web Literacy for Educators very interesting. Really, I found they taught me a great deal. I did not really know that anyone could edit a wiki. Blogging was a foreign concept to me. Moreover, I did not really know how the Internet worked with the companies buying the search names on Google or other sites. While I knew how to use the Internet, and spent a great deal of time on it, I did not really know exactly "how" it worked. The chapters were very eye opening to me, apparently I was living under a rock. As much as I "knew" about technology, learning how to search, how it worked, and about podcasts and blogging was pretty new to me. I am actually glad I had to read the chapters because I learned alot.
I think that using technology in the classroom is very important, but I was not sure how I could incorporate it. Now I think that blogging is a great tool for students to use, especially in economics. I feel like I could have students talk about current political issues in the economy and post their blogs about it. I also think subscribing to the RSS of sites like the New York Times would be very helpful for the students to see. Very relevant articles are often posted in the Economist as well, and subscribing to these sites would keep students and myself completely updated on the news in the economy.
I think that using technology in the classroom is very important, but I was not sure how I could incorporate it. Now I think that blogging is a great tool for students to use, especially in economics. I feel like I could have students talk about current political issues in the economy and post their blogs about it. I also think subscribing to the RSS of sites like the New York Times would be very helpful for the students to see. Very relevant articles are often posted in the Economist as well, and subscribing to these sites would keep students and myself completely updated on the news in the economy.
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