Week 12 Exit Slip

Today I learned how students see learning as changing. Students wanted it to be social-based, which I believe will be beneficial because I enjoy incorporating social networking into my education. I realized the meaning of un-tethered learning – how we can learn everywhere and all the time – because we have so much technological access. Learning is also digitally rich because of this. I have realized how technology is shaping education more and more each week, but hadn’t thought about how kids viewed it.

I cannot believe how communicating with technologies has grown so rapidly! The video we watched in class surprised me with how big this is becoming. I am also now thinking more about how I am going to establish rules and guidelines for internet chat safety with my students. I would likely use EPals so that my students can have a great way to message each other and have discussions. I believe that these would be great to encourage shy students to socialize and respond more than they normally would. I also did not realize 6 people could speak at once on Skype. This would be great for my students who had internet access at home in order to complete projects when they are unable to meet physically. I also had never thought about using AIM as a game. I think it was enjoyable and students would like it. I also realized that using a fast-paced video keeps people engaged. Also, I have never thought about how podcasts have advantages because the user can stop/start it, etc. I think that this would make lectures more effective for students. However, students would not be able to ask questions. A discussion board could be added to help this problem.

I think that students need to learn about how to use technology, but not to the detriment of their health. I did not realize that virtual school enrollment was increasing so much. I feel that this could be negative because it makes school less personal, yet it could be positive because it does not have a set pace and can be focused on the individual student rather than the class. Last, I am shocked to hear about how video games control some people’s lives. I will encourage other things besides video games such as playing sports. Students need to know this is not reality.

As far as cool tools go, Woome.com is a site that I hope my students do not know about. It could be dangerous! It is another reason why they need to learn about internet safety. However, I think Ning.com would be fun for students to discuss their interests! We always talk about how kids will enjoy school more if they are interested, so I think they could benefit from this site. Additionally, DrawAnywhere.com seems great because it is online and free!

Chapter 7 Reflection

I realized even more so as I read this chapter how technology is such an integral part of students’ lives in and out of school. Teaching and learning and technology really do go hand-in-hand – socially and academically. The book said that kids were exposed to technology about 8.5 hours a day, and I think that number is probably increasing all the time. It amazes me how much students know about things like text messaging, iPods, etc. Many of my dance students, who are 7 and 8 years old, have their own cell phones and other gadgets. Today, one of my 5-year-old students even told me how she liked to play Wii bowling! Back when I was a kid, we would have just gone to the bowling alley or talked on our house phones. It amazes me how things have changed. This chapter basically served to explain to me even more ways that teachers can incorporate students’ use of technology into their education. The book states that, “technologies of various kinds can serve as bridges between school and students’ outside experiences if they are used in the right way within a supportive context” (p. 153). I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. It is our job to teach students how to make better use of the internet especially so that it becomes as asset rather than a distraction.

I think as a teacher, it is absolutely necessary to explain to students about the dangers of chat rooms and other online communication tools. Many young students are not aware of the fact that these types of technology can be dangerous. I think that students often do not realize how technology can take away from face-to-face interaction as well, so I think that we as teachers should model this. For example, texting during class when we should be talking with students would not be the best idea. However, things like computer conferencing over Skype would be a great way to communicate with parents if they cannot meet face to face. Also, we have used tools like threads and discussion boards for our education classes, and I find that they lead to more in-depth discussion. This is something I may use in my classroom to help those students who are shy or non-native speakers and also to make my students think on a deeper level because they have a chance to think about their response more before they make them. As the teacher, I could serve as a discussion moderator and hopefully lead students to develop more critical thinking skills. Additionally, the book said that this helps with the time constraints in schools, and I certainly agree. I also think that students should be encouraged to use cell phones, Skype, or Facebook chat-type programs to discuss homework or other assignments (depending on their age). I have found this to be so helpful to my own education. The only drawback is that it would require students to have internet and video capability, which they may not. Last, I think that I would love to incorporate videoconferencing into the classroom. Students would be able to have guest speakers without them having to make the trip that in the past would have prevented them from coming. I would even have students create and listen to podcasts.

Week 11 Exit Slip

Today I learned about the potential uses of Poll Everywhere, Flickr, and Slide Rocket. I think that any of these can be used in the classroom. I could poll students or parents about a variety of topics, organize, label, and share pictures, and create presentations for lessons or have students share presentations. I am continuously realizing how most technologies can be adapted for classroom use. I also had not considered before that job loss could be related to technology. This is definitely an issue that could affect my students and their families. I feel that students need to be aware of the fact that they need to work hard in school so that they will develop skills and be able to go to college. Our job is to do our best in teaching our students. I had also not really thought before about how easy technology makes it to cheat. I think that as a teacher, I need to be aware of student attempts to cheat and also encourage students to use technology in a positive and fun way. If students do not have a desire to learn something, they may choose to cheat. I feel that students would not want to cheat if they really enjoyed what they were learning.

Next, I learned that typical animation has 30 frames per second. I did not realize it was this high! The three phases of animation are pre-production (planning and organizing), production (filming - capturing images), and post-production (editing and sharing). I realized that animations can be used to share opinions and information, whereas before I had only thought of them as Disney movies, etc. I had crated an animation a long time ago, but the technology was very different. Animation would be something that I think students would enjoy, and I think I will also have fun doing this project with my group based on my past experiences. I learned that FrameThief can be used on Macs to make a stop-motion animation. This program offers a lot of unique features that make it simpler to see the changes between each shot. After this, iMovie allows you to put the pictures in and create a final product. This is definitely completely different than what I used in 4th grade and I'm sure it will continue to evolve.

Last, I learned about the many uses of Scratch, such as models, tutorials, simulations, games, or animations. I am starting to think about how I can make my project really engaging and interactive. I am going to explore topics and examples this week, and am thinking about what would be a good topic. I feel that almost any topic could be addressed.

Week 9 Exit Slip

Today I developed some new thinking in regards to students developing their own models, simulations, and concept maps. I feel that using mind tools would truly help them become engaged on a deeper cognitive level as compared to previous technologies we have learned about. I also realized that parents and teachers can use blogs to interact if they are not able to talk face-to-face. Blogs would also be helpful if students are absent or did not finish work in class. Teachers could even have students use blogs as a modern form of the traditional journal. It would be much more convenient and eliminate teachers having to carry around 25 journals to read and respond to. I also am continuing to see how many resources are available for teachers online.

I think that using the cool tools such as DropBox to backup files would be useful and convenient, as I have only used jump drives, email, and CDs before. I am also realizing that body image is something I will have to deal with in the classroom, even in the primary grades, so I need to make sure that I am paying attention to what images children believe to be real - and then explain/show them that they are not. Violence is also something that is even a part of children's educational games, so I will have to be aware that students may believe that violence is acceptable. Social networking is becoming popular with kids as well, and has possible dangers and social issues that can result. Therefore, it is crucial that we keep in contact with parents about these issues and talk with students ourselves.

Chapter 6 Reflection

I had never before considered using technology to build my classroom community before reading this chapter. We have used wikis and online discussion groups in college classes, but I had never thought about having elementary students take part in these. I think having online discussions and blogs would really help those students who are quiet during class to be more comfortable, because I know that in my classes for example, not everyone enjoys answering aloud. I am also realizing that students will enjoy school more if they can share what they know using technology/the internet, rather than what they don’t (i.e. traditional tests). I also like how the technologies and sites discussed in the chapter are social in nature, which I believe will encourage positive relationships between students. Something that was not new to me was the idea of teachers sharing helpful hints and information over the internet. I have read many teacher forums/blogs before to get information. What was new however, was TappedIn. I began to think how amazing and beneficial it is that the internet has enabled teachers from different countries to collaborate! That was unheard of several years ago. Therefore, I plan on investigating TappedIn and TeacherTalk at some point. Overall, I realized that technology has the potential to play a meaningful role in the classroom, but it all depends on the teacher’s decisions about types and uses and dedication to making sure that it is always meaningful for the students.

As a future teacher, something that caught my attention in this chapter was when it stated that classrooms are not typically communities because students are competing with each other and are disconnected. It said that cliques were also an issue and that students need common interests in order to become a classroom community. I understand what the authors are saying, and hope that my classroom will become a community where everyone feels accepted. I think that several of the ideas suggested in this chapter would support my goal of developing a strong, supportive community. First of all, I love the idea of having students reading expedition blogs as ‘virtual field trips’. This would certainly make for meaningful learning because the students can interact with the writer and learn social studies in an active manner. I also think that if I had older students, I would have them participate in online book discussions with students from around the world. I am also interested in having my students take part in Learning Circles in order to foster community-building beyond the classroom. Additionally, by communicating with students from various countries/cultures, students would be able to gain cross-cultural understanding in an enjoyable way, because they would all be working towards the goal of completing a project together. Similarly, participating in KidLink to talk with students who speak other languages would be great to practice a second language. I doubt that I would be teaching another language, but if I had an ESOL student, it would be great for him to be able to communicate with students from his native country in his native language. He could even share his experiences learning English. As a teacher, I would also love to use a blog of some sort to communicate with parents. The possibilities for using blogs and discussions seem endless, so I will constantly think about how I can use community-building in my classroom!

Chapter 5 Reflection

I am beginning to see more and more (as I read these chapters) the fact that technology can be incorporated into every aspect of learning -- and these ways are always changing. Prior to reading this chapter, I had not considered the idea of my future students externally constructing their internal models of concepts using computer programs. This seems like a great way for teachers to see what students know, as well as for them to organize their thoughts and ideas. We had previously discussed (in our science class) how models were a great way for students to learn about phenomena, with the drawback being that they may develop a misconception from the model. I think that having students create their own models can eliminate this problem; however, I wondered: What if they portray a misconception in the model? How would the teacher intervene without taking away from the constructivist nature of this activity? I discovered this answer near the end of the chapter, when it suggested using databases to share stories and read stories written by others. I think this would be a great way to gain information that can lead students to conceptual change on their own, but I feel like the students would need to be in the upper elementary grades for this to be successful.

As a teacher, I would have students create models that represent their thinking, because I agree that it would allow them to develop metacognition, or thinking about thinking. This is a vital skill that students need for success. Reflection is also necessary for them to be able to solve similar problems and examples better, and using mindtools like the ones suggested in the chapter would certainly assist them with this skill. I think that linking ideas together in a concept map would be a great way for students to visually see the relationships and connections between topics. I also have never used a spreadsheet myself, so I definitely did not realize the benefits for students, such as analyzing data, learning math, and simulating problems that students are working on. Therefore, I would like to try this with my students. I also liked the idea of expert systems and how they allow the student to become the expert. I agree that it would lead to them to think on a deeper level. (Ex: I had to do this myself when learning Chapter 3 for my presentation). I would have my students take part in this as well.

I would also design matrices using technology, rather than on a poster board. I think that it would be a fun project for students to create these on a given topic as well as share them with the class. I would also have students share ideas through a database in order for them to analyze other peoples’ knowledge and compare it with their own. If I taught younger grades, I would probably adapt some of these ideas by assisting students more.

This chapter was slightly confusing in that most of the tools were for middle to high school students, so I am not sure what would be good in the primary grades. Overall, I think that using mind tools to model thinking processes would be a valuable experience for both students and teachers.

Exit Slip - Week 8

Today I began to really imagine how I would integrate technology with my writing curriculum. I plan to teach younger grades, and when I read the chapter, I was not sure how the technologies suggested would work with young children. Alex and Katie provided some wonderful examples, such as Kidspiration, Gliffy, and Scholastic that certainly would be appropriate and enjoyable for my students. I also loved Global School net and would love to get my students involved in a collaborative project with students in other states. I think that this would help to get them motivated to learn. I had also never thought about using polls through text messaging with students. If I teach young students, this probably wouldn't work, but parents and guardians could possibly respond to important questions, provided they have texting. I also learned how to help students navigate websites using the smart board. I tend to get lost when clicking through sites, so I am sure this will be helpful with my class.

I am also continuing to be exposed to new sites/tools that I can incorporate into the classroom. Specifically, I learned about Parentella, which I think would be a great way for parents to be aware of what is going on in the classroom. Go Animate is also a site that many students would enjoy using, considering they can make designs and message students all around the world. The only drawback to learning about all of these new tools is that I am becoming overwhelmed! I want to use technology to enhance my students' learning, but not to the point that it takes all of my time to discover and learn how to use it. Hopefully I will discover several technologies that are multi-functional rather than several that can only be used for one task.

Last, learning about contemporary issues today was eye-opening. First, I am concerned about the possibility of society becoming addicted to the internet. However, I believe that it is something that we truly rely on because of its usefulness, relevancy, and prominence in society. Second, I think that each child having a computer would be great, but not as much for younger kids. I think that too much reliance on computers could lead to a diminished reliance on teachers and other students/social interactions. I want my classroom to be very social, and I don't think that technology needs to be in the classroom 100% of the time, especially with young children. They need personal interactions for social development. TV can also enhance learning, but too much can lead to children being deprived of real social interactions. Additionally, cyber bullying is something that I need to discuss with children and parents in order to try and avoid it in my classroom.