In this class, I have learned quite a few things. First of all, Ive learned that there are many different web tools available to help teachers make worksheets, quizzes online, rubrics, and different puzzles to help students learn. I have also learned that there is a program to help make concept maps. This program is very easy to use and makes concept mapping a whole lot more enjoyable to work with. Ive also learned that there are a lot of assistive technology out there to help students with disabilities and proves that the students can learn also.
My strongest points would definitely have to be writing my own papers. When I did the turnitin project, I found that the paper I wrote was 100% original and that made me very proud. I think I am very strong in this point because I have always hated the idea of using other people's work and calling it my own. Therefore, I have always striven to do my own work. My weakest point would have to be probably updating and using a blog and website daily. I feel this is my weakest point because using daily things that updates is not something I like to use.This is something i would have to work on as a teacher if i want to continue using technology in my classrooms. To help fix my weak points, I will try to use my facebook account more often to try to get into the habit of updating and keeping connected daily.
I plan on integrating technology into the classrooms by using more computers and softwares to present information to the students. I would introduce using technology to the students and have them work on the computer for some parts of the day. I would also use technology myself to create things that are appealing to the eye but also have a purpose for learning. I want to be able to incorporate it into the class in every way possible.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Introduction to Blogfolio
This blog was created for my IT 365 class. This class is a requirement in the elementary education program. The things I have learned from this class are all posted in this blog. We did many different activities and learned many things from reading and reviewing the chapters in class. We have learned about all the different components of technology from the parts of a computer to the legal and ethical ways of using the information technology can give us.
This blogfolio is a collection of all of the assignments that we've done in class. The assignments are listed under "artifacts" to the right hand side. They are all links to my project. In this blogfolio, there is also a reflection for each chapter that we've gone over in class. These reflections are listed as blog entries. In this blogfolio, you can also find my reflections of the five standards (also posted as blog entries). There is also an introductory blog about myself and finally a blog entry about this course.
This blogfolio is a collection of all of the assignments that we've done in class. The assignments are listed under "artifacts" to the right hand side. They are all links to my project. In this blogfolio, there is also a reflection for each chapter that we've gone over in class. These reflections are listed as blog entries. In this blogfolio, you can also find my reflections of the five standards (also posted as blog entries). There is also an introductory blog about myself and finally a blog entry about this course.
Standard 5 Reflection
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers:
a. participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning
b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others
c. evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning
d. contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers:
a. participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning
b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others
c. evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning
d. contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community
Reflection:
As a student, I feel that my computer skills are not poor, but also not excellent either. There is still a lot to learn and I know that. There are many free resources for teachers out there with technology today and we have explored some of those options during IT class. I feel that many teachers should be willing to make the effort into learning about technology since we are in the technology age and things will only get more and more advanced and time goes on.
It is a teacher’s responsibility to be able to be connected with the world around us rather than just focusing in on the classroom. Participating in local and global learning is very important because ideas and practices are shared through participation. Learning globally can help a teacher see from a different point of view.
It is also the teacher’s responsibility to not only be involved globally, but also to involve themselves locally at the community level. Helping out the community by demonstrating leadership skills in technology will help other people to learn about technology with ease.
As a teacher, one should be able to evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practices. There are many things that are being put out there that are only half true and it is the teacher’s responsibility to make sure the information they are reading is accurate. A teacher should be able to use their own minds and choose their own thoughts on matters at hand.
Artifacts/Evidence:
- Blogs
- Website
- Youtube
Future Learning Goals:
My goal for the future would be to broaden my thinking capabilities. I want to learn about the world, and not stay in the community and not branch out further. I also want to begin being involved in the community because I realize that even with a little bit of help, many things can change. Being able to bring knowledge of technology to the community can be a very exciting thing. Also being able to think for myself and not believe everything I read will be a big accomplishment for me as a teacher.
Standard 4 Reflection
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers:
a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources
b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources
c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
d. develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers:
a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources
b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources
c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
d. develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools
Reflection:
As technology becomes more and more readily available in this society and era, I feel that legal and ethical behaviors are definitely needed. If we, as teachers, use illegal methods to get something, it will be very had to teach our children with a straight face that illegal doings is wrong. Especially since technology is so advanced today, many legal documents are being copied, duplicated, and exposed illegally.
It is important for teachers to be able to advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information. If the teachers do not properly teach this to the students, the students may find themselves in danger with the law. Using copyrighted material that belongs to others can lead to big trouble if caught.
Digital etiquette is also a big factor now because many people are not taught how to be nice using a computer. Many people do not know that ALL CAPITAL LETTERS represents screaming and are usually rude over technology without knowing it. Being able to show etiquette using technology will be very beneficial to the person using it.
It is also very important for teachers to model cultural understanding as technology is making the world a smaller place. Now that technology can show students the world beyond America, it is important to teach children that although other cultures are different, it is not wrong. Being respectful of other cultures is definitely important to society. People must learn to accept others for themselves rather than judging what isn’t the same as our culture.
Artifacts/Evidence:
- Turnitin
- Website
- Photostory
- Youtube
Future Learning Goals:
As a future educator, I would like to explore more about plagiarism and copyrighted material. This will not only help me to teach my students to legal and ethical code of technology, but also it will save me from having to deal with the law if i do something illegal by mistake. It is very important for me to learn all of this so that i can be fully aware of what is and is not right.
Standard 3 Reflection
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:
a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation
c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats
d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:
a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation
c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats
d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning
Reflection:
It is very important for teachers to demonstrate knowledge of technology. It is not good that the students know more about technology than the teachers (which there is a good chance of that actually happening). Teachers should not “have” to learn about technology, but they should “want” to learn more about technology. Being able to demonstrate fluency in technology will help a teacher be able to transfer current knowledge into new technologies.
The teacher alone cannot be the only one to use technology. It is also the responsibility of the student, parents, and the communities to have technology become more effective in teaching. Success of using technology will not only benefit the student, but also the community because the whole community grows when the students are learning and achieving.
Using technology to convey ideas and information effectively to students, parents, and peers is very important. If the parents have no clue what you’re teaching, it may be hard for the parents to fully support and convey the message of the lesson onto the children when the children may need help with homework. Having parents to reinforce learning at home after the teacher has taught during school hours will definitely benefit the child.
The teacher should not only just use technology every so often, the teacher should regularly implement technology in the classroom to keep consistency. The teacher should also use the technology to the most it can be used for because this will help the children in the learning process.
Artifacts/Evidence:
- Blog
- Website
- Photostory
Future Learning Goals:
My future goals would be to incorporate as much technology as possible into not only the student's lives, but also the lives of their parents and peers. This will not only encourage learning from the students but from the parents also. The parents would also be able to help the students and everyone will learn. My goal is to use as many resources as possible to have these goals accomplished.
Standard 2 Reflection
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers:
a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
c. customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
d. provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers:
a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
c. customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
d. provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
Reflection:
It is very important for teachers to not only give assessments, but also authentic learning experiences. The learning experience would be much more effective if the students are able to experience some things first hand rather than learning and reading from a book. Being able to give students hands on experiences while incorporating technology and contemporary resources will not only maximize content learning, but also helps the students to develop and learn to think for themselves.
It is very important to have technology readily available for these young students who seek knowledge because with advanced technology today, so much more can be learned with a touch of a finger. Before technology, it was very hard to find out things because there weren’t things such as the internet that gave you an answer instantly. Having information at hand is very beneficial to students and in order to give them information at hand, technology should be surrounded by them for use.
It is also very important to understand that not every student is the same. Every student is an individual person equipped with different personalities. Understanding this will help a teacher to realize that not every student learns the same. Giving children different opportunities to learn in different ways will help many students who do not learn the one standard way. Customizing their lesson to fit the student will help the student in many more ways than a teacher can imagine.
Using technology can be very benefitting to students in many ways. However, teachers have to be aware that technology can sometimes be more of a distraction than helpful so it is important to figure out when it is necessary to use the technology.
Artifacts/Evidence:
- Assistive Technology
- Online quiz
- Worksheet
Future Learning Goals:
As an elementary teacher, I want to use as many resources as i possibly can to enhance the learning of my students one day. I have learned a few of them in this class, but i know there are many more that are just as good and some are even better. The more I learn about technology, the more i can utilize it in my classrooms to help my students learn and grow academically. My goal would be to find the best resources i can that technology has to help in teaching.
Standard 1 Reflection
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
Reflection:
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
Reflection:
As new teachers going into the field of elementary education, it is very important that we know how use and manipulate technology. In order to be an adequate teacher, the first step would be to facilitate and inspire learning and creativity. It is important to do so because children need the support to grow as people and this way is how I feel students would be able to do so is through creativity.
Teachers should also create and encourage children to use real life situations as much as possible while teaching. It is important for children to know the reason why they’re learning. They should be able to understand what skills tie to what real life situation so that they do not feel like they’re wasting time in a classroom learning something that isn’t going to be needed in life.
Teachers should promote student learning and be able to encourage them to reflect using technology. It is important that teachers not only “just teach” but rather to encourage the students to understand that knowledge is important and can sometimes be fun too.
Artifacts/Evidence:
- Photostory
- Youtube
Future Goals:
Learning how to use these items in this class is been fun, but i have not yet had enough experience with it to know how to use it fully. when the time comes and i have my own classroom, I hope to use these items more and learn more about them as i go. I want to be able to incorporate these items into my classroom and have the children be more engaged and ready to learn.
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