So, chapter four is entitled "designing lessons and developing curriculum with technology." Obviously, its about how technology is going to help us in our lesson planning. What gets me about this is that how do we know that teachers aren't solely relying on the internet for their curriculum? As teachers, and even as students, we hear all the time that we shouldn't rely on wikipedia, or from online sources, but that we need to dig deep into the archives of the library to find more sources for our papers, etc. But, how do you tell a teacher that they HAVE to make their own work sheet, webquest, lesson plan?
While I'm pessimistic about teachers using any and everything that they find online as a means to get out of creating something on their own, I am optimistic about my own personal use of technology in not only lesson planning but in my classroom as a whole. If you've ever done one of the color personality tests, you'll understand the reference, but I'm totally a Gold. Everything has to be in order, promptly on time, organized and efficient, so what I'm most excited for is to be able to create an online grading system where my students who take a test or hand in a paper on a friday won't have to wait until monday for their grade. They can have it Saturday when I'm done grading.
I am also super excited to be a 21st century teacher because we have access to so many advanced technologies. Apps that we can use on ipads and phones, software that makes plans and curriculum maps easier to design and create. My favorite is the common core app from the App store. I use it when designing my lesson plans for classes here at St. John's. It makes it simple to find the standards and to filter what you're looking for based on grade level and subject matter. Since common core is something we all have to deal with in our program I suggest everyone download it!
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
9/24 Take Away
So. When I wrote my post today I talked about creativity in regards to powerpoint from a student stand point. I never once thought that I would have the power or the pleasure really, of creating a powerpoint for educational purposes such as lessons. I was always under the impression that it was for presentations.
I also have a very clear understanding of what is expected for this video trailer project, and I'm excited to see if I still have the capability to make something creative. While its harder to focus on my projects due to the crazy work hours I have, I'm anticipating some good results not only from me, but from my class as well.
Leaving class today I have a greater appreciation for not only behaviorism, but all the learning theories and for the way in which this class is being taught. Not by lecture, but by guided instruction and conversation. INTERACTION!
I also have a very clear understanding of what is expected for this video trailer project, and I'm excited to see if I still have the capability to make something creative. While its harder to focus on my projects due to the crazy work hours I have, I'm anticipating some good results not only from me, but from my class as well.
Leaving class today I have a greater appreciation for not only behaviorism, but all the learning theories and for the way in which this class is being taught. Not by lecture, but by guided instruction and conversation. INTERACTION!
Chapters 3 & 9
Lets talk about creativity ! Back when I was a kid, my favorite part of school and/or school projects was being able to be creative. What color glitter could I use on my poster board (pink, duh), what font should I pick for my sub-topics (Comic Sans, OBVIOUSLY.) It was all about showman ship and how good of a physical presentation you could create. When PowerPoint was the "in" thing for presentations, it was all about the colors of your slides, the sound effects added, the introduction the words had (did they pop up, slide in, drop down...) The goal was to effectively capture your class' attention without looking like such a teachers pet.
This week both of our chapters talked about creativity in technology. While chapter three briefly touched upon the subject, chapter nine was all about creativity. This creativity for teachers stuff goes way beyond our font a color choices! Creativity not only applies to the activity we choose but also the way in which we present it to our students. Our authors define creativity as "thinking and acting in ways that generate alternative approaches to people, presentations and problems.
Something that stuck out to me in the readings was in chapter three where they talk about how children and adolescents display their creativity personal ways within family, school and after-school environments. So while we as teachers may be focused on their creativity in an educational form, they're all creative outside of our classrooms. The way in which they decorate their room, their personal style (how they dress), what they chose to do with their free time. So when we're asking our students to be creative, it doesn't necessarily have to be using a method or way that is new to the world, but new to the student themselves.
My questions to you are:
1. Do you believe all the projects/presentations should be presented in a technological manner (i.e. PowerPoint, YouTube, IMovie etc.)
2. When doing projects that are technological, are you worried that your students will focus more on the creativity than the quality of the content they are presenting?
This week both of our chapters talked about creativity in technology. While chapter three briefly touched upon the subject, chapter nine was all about creativity. This creativity for teachers stuff goes way beyond our font a color choices! Creativity not only applies to the activity we choose but also the way in which we present it to our students. Our authors define creativity as "thinking and acting in ways that generate alternative approaches to people, presentations and problems.
Something that stuck out to me in the readings was in chapter three where they talk about how children and adolescents display their creativity personal ways within family, school and after-school environments. So while we as teachers may be focused on their creativity in an educational form, they're all creative outside of our classrooms. The way in which they decorate their room, their personal style (how they dress), what they chose to do with their free time. So when we're asking our students to be creative, it doesn't necessarily have to be using a method or way that is new to the world, but new to the student themselves.
My questions to you are:
1. Do you believe all the projects/presentations should be presented in a technological manner (i.e. PowerPoint, YouTube, IMovie etc.)
2. When doing projects that are technological, are you worried that your students will focus more on the creativity than the quality of the content they are presenting?
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Chapters 1 & 2
When I was reading our chapters this week, I found myself identifying with the "iGeneration." While I do remember a time without text messages, or choosing a phone plan with a limited amount of text messages and then an absurd charge for each text sent afterwards (I had a $600 phone bill because of that, whoops.) As a child of the 90's, we've grown with the technology, and even though the technology field is releasing new things at an extremely rapid rate, we are able to adapt to the changes...except for when Facebook went through its first layout change, there were riots over that, am I right?
So why do we allow technology to have such an influence on us and our everyday lives? Well, its simple, we learn from it. Whether you're searching Google for the latest celebrity hoax, or on Wikipedia to add some more fluff to your 15 page paper due at midnight, the internet allows us to gain an infinite amount of knowledge without cracking a book open. The internet has made books look obsolete. Books (novels, textbooks, magazines, journals, etc) are produced in electronic versions that we can download to our Nook or our iPad. We can do virtually anything, anywhere at anytime.
What concerns me most about using technology in the classroom, and trust me, I know its unavoidable, is how are my students going to tell the difference between technology-based education versus playing with the iPad because there is a cool app on it that correlates to what we're doing in class? Using a computer in class used to be a privilege and it was something to look forward to, but now when we hear that we have to type a 10 page paper, its like a jail sentence. Sit here, stare at the blank paper, the blinking cursor and think about what to write. And so I pose the question to you guys, how do we make the technology use in the classroom fun AND educational, without using a basic power point?
Chapter 2 talked more, or a lot about establishing a digital identity, not as you in your free time, but teacher you. Wheres your class website? What does it contain? What does it say about you as an educator? Is it accessible to every student and is it organized in a cohesive manner? We need to use technology as a support system, in that it will not only support our classroom content and serve as a means of communication between us and our students, but will it be able to produce results in which we can show that it is beneficial to these students education?
Something else that chapter two talked about that I kind of agree with is that with such a large reliance on technology in the classroom, there is a lack of older styles of teaching, which yes, may now be classified as boring, but were also effective. Drill and practice worksheets are still something I create for myself when I'm studying vocabulary or math equations. While these work sheets may be seen as monotonous and boring to students, they actually have a really good track record at being effective. What do you think? Can technology still provide students with that feeling of being drilled and the action of practicing consistently and effectively?
So why do we allow technology to have such an influence on us and our everyday lives? Well, its simple, we learn from it. Whether you're searching Google for the latest celebrity hoax, or on Wikipedia to add some more fluff to your 15 page paper due at midnight, the internet allows us to gain an infinite amount of knowledge without cracking a book open. The internet has made books look obsolete. Books (novels, textbooks, magazines, journals, etc) are produced in electronic versions that we can download to our Nook or our iPad. We can do virtually anything, anywhere at anytime.
What concerns me most about using technology in the classroom, and trust me, I know its unavoidable, is how are my students going to tell the difference between technology-based education versus playing with the iPad because there is a cool app on it that correlates to what we're doing in class? Using a computer in class used to be a privilege and it was something to look forward to, but now when we hear that we have to type a 10 page paper, its like a jail sentence. Sit here, stare at the blank paper, the blinking cursor and think about what to write. And so I pose the question to you guys, how do we make the technology use in the classroom fun AND educational, without using a basic power point?
Chapter 2 talked more, or a lot about establishing a digital identity, not as you in your free time, but teacher you. Wheres your class website? What does it contain? What does it say about you as an educator? Is it accessible to every student and is it organized in a cohesive manner? We need to use technology as a support system, in that it will not only support our classroom content and serve as a means of communication between us and our students, but will it be able to produce results in which we can show that it is beneficial to these students education?
Something else that chapter two talked about that I kind of agree with is that with such a large reliance on technology in the classroom, there is a lack of older styles of teaching, which yes, may now be classified as boring, but were also effective. Drill and practice worksheets are still something I create for myself when I'm studying vocabulary or math equations. While these work sheets may be seen as monotonous and boring to students, they actually have a really good track record at being effective. What do you think? Can technology still provide students with that feeling of being drilled and the action of practicing consistently and effectively?
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Personal Learning Goals
You learn something everyday. How many times have we each heard that saying and thought to ourselves, yeah right, I didn't learn anything today. Whether we've noticed it or not, and whether we want to or not, learning takes place in our lives everyday in every manner. My personal goal is to keep learning for as long as I can and to learn as much as I can, that way I can be an effected teacher in conveying my knowledge to my students. The goal I have with this class specifically is to learn and understand how to incorporate technology on a higher level, aside from using the SmartBoard and simple PowerPoints. Because we are in the era of technology and the children we teach are often using the same leisure products that we use (Iphone, Ipad, Itouch, Kindle, Nook, etc) it only makes sense that we use technology in the classroom. My one specific goal is to learn how to use technology in the classroom without the students being solo. I want to see them interact with each other and their technologies.
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