Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
K12 Online Conference 2008 - "Video-Conferencing It's Easy, Free and Powerful"
The online conference presentation I watched was about video conferencing. The man who narrated the video, Brian Crosby, said that video conferencing is a field trip you take without leaving your classroom. I really liked that statement. It is also true that sometimes technology does get dull after the initial "wow factor." Some topics that were discussed included: inclusion; sharing an expert; sharing an experience; practicing oral language; analyze, critique, and get feedback; collaboration; and how hard it is to use skype. I really enjoyed the part that was about using skype and podcasting. This used a lot of examples shown using a fourth grade class. This was an interesting way to show how technology is used in everyday life for simple and real things. I liked his last statement of the video conference and will heed his words: "And remember: Learning is Messy!"
Monday, January 18, 2010
Using technology to help the teaching and learning process in my classroom
I am going to use technology to help the teaching and learning process in my classroom. My repertoire of strategies and techniques has grown a lot over the past several months. There are many tools I will be using in the future in my classroom as I teach as well as will my professional growth and development. These include, but are not limited to, blogs, blogging, Classroom 2.0, Creative Commons, Delicious, digital storytelling, powerpoint, electronic portfolios, Movie Maker, podcasting, scavenger hunts, spreadsheets, tagging, teacher web pages, tutorials, videos and movies, virtual tours, web sites, webquests, wikis, and of course word processors. There are other things as well, such as the Getting Started Online Conferences, iTunes, Google applications, and many other things. I have learned so many valuable and helpful things about technology and how I can incorporate and benefit from technology as a whole in every aspect of my life and my future career.
Podcasting
(1) Podcasting is the preparation and distribution of audio files using RSS to the computers of subscribed users. These files may then be uploaded to digital music or multimedia players. They can be easily created from a digital audio file. It would first be saved as an MP3 and then uploaded to the Web site of a service provider. The MP3 file gets its own URL. A podcast is an audio or a video file delivered automatically to your computer.
(2) I will use podcasting for many things, including professional development, keeping up with news and research, promoting events, and for teaching. I will use it in my classroom to share current events, for class lectures, and to share students' progress. I will accessand create podcasts that will help my students learn and understand things about the Spanish language and/or culture. These will be used in the classroom and some on my teacher web page. I will also have my students create podcasts to help them learn and understand things and to possibly give feedback on or ask questions about things they want to know more about or do not understand.
(3) The pros of podcasting include being able to share information with students that I as the teacher or they as the students would not otherwise have access to. Also, students will be able to reflect and/or create podcasts to help them understand and explore topics more. The cons of podcasting include possible false information in podcasts, owning and copyrighting podcasts that are made, and the lack of privacy to podcasts.
(2) I will use podcasting for many things, including professional development, keeping up with news and research, promoting events, and for teaching. I will use it in my classroom to share current events, for class lectures, and to share students' progress. I will accessand create podcasts that will help my students learn and understand things about the Spanish language and/or culture. These will be used in the classroom and some on my teacher web page. I will also have my students create podcasts to help them learn and understand things and to possibly give feedback on or ask questions about things they want to know more about or do not understand.
(3) The pros of podcasting include being able to share information with students that I as the teacher or they as the students would not otherwise have access to. Also, students will be able to reflect and/or create podcasts to help them understand and explore topics more. The cons of podcasting include possible false information in podcasts, owning and copyrighting podcasts that are made, and the lack of privacy to podcasts.
Ethics
(1) Ethics are standards that determine whether an action is good or bad.
(2) Ethics will affect my work as a teacher with my students and my colleagues in many ways. I will keep ethics in mind when dealing with internet usage, health issues, copyright laws, and privacy of information. I will be thinking about internet safety, educational controls, how health issues can be avoided, following copyright laws, and protecting an individual's privacy. I will also at all times have the influence of my Christian faith at the base of my ethical concern.
(3) The pros of being concerned with ethics include showing a good example, honoring Christ, following the law, looking out for others, and practicing good and moral things as a human being. The cons of being concerned with ethics would include possibly missing out on some great teaching/learning opportunities.
(2) Ethics will affect my work as a teacher with my students and my colleagues in many ways. I will keep ethics in mind when dealing with internet usage, health issues, copyright laws, and privacy of information. I will be thinking about internet safety, educational controls, how health issues can be avoided, following copyright laws, and protecting an individual's privacy. I will also at all times have the influence of my Christian faith at the base of my ethical concern.
(3) The pros of being concerned with ethics include showing a good example, honoring Christ, following the law, looking out for others, and practicing good and moral things as a human being. The cons of being concerned with ethics would include possibly missing out on some great teaching/learning opportunities.
Virtual tours
(1) A virtual tour is a simulation of an existing location, usually composed of a sequence of video images. Other multimedia elements may be used as well, such as sound effects, music, narration, and text. The camera and lens used for this is rotated around what is referred to as a nodal point, which is the exact point at the back of the lens where the light converges. A virtual tour is a variety of video and photographic based media. The panarama based content indicates an unbroken view, since a panarama can be either a series of photographs or panning video footage. Generally virtual tours are made up of shots taken from a single vantage point known as the nodal point, which is mentioned above.
(2) I will use virtual tours in my classroom to show my students places and teach them about things and places that they will most likely never be able to visit. I will use virtual tours to show my students museums that have Aztec and Mayan art and other such things. I want my students to be able to see places in Spain and Mexico as well that they would never get to see otherwise.
(3) Pros of virtual tours include that people have opportunities to see and learn about places and things that they may not otherwise get to see and/or learn about. Cons include that you may never know if some things are actually truly what they are said to be.
(2) I will use virtual tours in my classroom to show my students places and teach them about things and places that they will most likely never be able to visit. I will use virtual tours to show my students museums that have Aztec and Mayan art and other such things. I want my students to be able to see places in Spain and Mexico as well that they would never get to see otherwise.
(3) Pros of virtual tours include that people have opportunities to see and learn about places and things that they may not otherwise get to see and/or learn about. Cons include that you may never know if some things are actually truly what they are said to be.
Teacher web pages
(1) A teacher web page is something that includes a teacher's information, the school and classroom information, the teacher's contact information, and the teacher's classroom rules and/or procedures. It should provide resources for students, parents, and others. A teacher web page should also have a professional and inviting appearance, keeping aesthetics in mind as well as mechanics.
(2) I will use my teacher web page to keep students, parents, etc. informed on what is going on in school and how to contact me. I will also use it to provide other resources that may provide helpful information to students and parents. It will be convenient for students who are absent as well, so they know what their homework is. Also, if something special was happening or an emergency came up, I could let my students and their parents know on my teacher web page.
(3) Pros of using a teacher web page include having good communication with my students and their parents and being able to put information and resources on it. Cons include that probably most anyone could get access to my teacher web page and the information on it.
(2) I will use my teacher web page to keep students, parents, etc. informed on what is going on in school and how to contact me. I will also use it to provide other resources that may provide helpful information to students and parents. It will be convenient for students who are absent as well, so they know what their homework is. Also, if something special was happening or an emergency came up, I could let my students and their parents know on my teacher web page.
(3) Pros of using a teacher web page include having good communication with my students and their parents and being able to put information and resources on it. Cons include that probably most anyone could get access to my teacher web page and the information on it.
Webquests
(1) A webquest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. It is designed to use learners' time well to focus on using information rather than on looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Focus is usually on knowledge acquisition and integration on short webquests and on extending and refining knowledge and then creating new knowledge which is presented.
(2) I will use webquests in my classroom when I teach for many reasons. Webquests will hopefully help my students remember things better. I think the involvement whithin the technology realm will be good for students. I will most likely be using webquests to help students learn and retain information about culture of hispanic and spanish countries.
(3) Some pros include that webquests are nice because of the well-organized web environment they provide. It is also nice because students find the interesting, meaningful, and organized problem-solving tasks challenging and they usually learn from the real world situations. They make students think outside the box. Some cons include that they are time consuming. Short webquests can be completed in only a few class periods, however long webquests may take anywhere from a week to month or more to complete. It may be hard also if students are absent. Although, if students are able to access the webquest somewhere other than the school computer system, then they may be able to keep up if they miss school.
(2) I will use webquests in my classroom when I teach for many reasons. Webquests will hopefully help my students remember things better. I think the involvement whithin the technology realm will be good for students. I will most likely be using webquests to help students learn and retain information about culture of hispanic and spanish countries.
(3) Some pros include that webquests are nice because of the well-organized web environment they provide. It is also nice because students find the interesting, meaningful, and organized problem-solving tasks challenging and they usually learn from the real world situations. They make students think outside the box. Some cons include that they are time consuming. Short webquests can be completed in only a few class periods, however long webquests may take anywhere from a week to month or more to complete. It may be hard also if students are absent. Although, if students are able to access the webquest somewhere other than the school computer system, then they may be able to keep up if they miss school.
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