Throughout the semester we have learned various technology techniques to implement into our classrooms. I have found that technology is very useful in classrooms. As our world continues to progress, the classroom itself needs to. Students get more out of lessons they like and with technology the students are bound to be more engaged.
Looking at it from a different angle, there are also many resources on the web for teachers to grow professionally. Reading blogs can increase a teacher's knowledge on techniques to try in the classroom. It is easy to do and takes little time. I never thought I would be a fan of blogging, but seeing all the teachers who blog makes me think of all the information that is being shared. I will definitely keep up blogging as I progress towards becoming a teacher.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Podcasting
Podcasting is a way for people to share information across the internet. These are actually similar to blogging except instead of reading the information a person can listen to the podcast or content on an application similar to itunes.
When I teach I will use podcasting when I want to do various experiments using mathematics. I want my students to stay actively involved in my classroom. Having them learn through experiments and letting them learn through different forms of communication will only benefit their learning experience.
A pro of podcasting is that is gives students a new way of learning a topic. Some students may be more auditory learners while others may be visual learners. Students may also just like technology a lot and feel more inclined to pay attention or be more engaged when using it. A con may be that they can be difficult to find or even to do yourself. These may take time to complete and in the end the students may not even get that much out of the lesson.
When I teach I will use podcasting when I want to do various experiments using mathematics. I want my students to stay actively involved in my classroom. Having them learn through experiments and letting them learn through different forms of communication will only benefit their learning experience.
A pro of podcasting is that is gives students a new way of learning a topic. Some students may be more auditory learners while others may be visual learners. Students may also just like technology a lot and feel more inclined to pay attention or be more engaged when using it. A con may be that they can be difficult to find or even to do yourself. These may take time to complete and in the end the students may not even get that much out of the lesson.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Ethics
As humans we face many ethical decisions every day. Ethics in a way determine the character of a person. Choosing between right and wrong seems difficult at times depending on the situation, but personally I try to steer away from any wrong doing. A person has a general knowledge of what is good and should always veer towards that direction. If a topic or action is sketchy in any way, don't do it. It's better to not do something then to wonder if it is right.
Being ethical as I teach in a school system is something I wish to say I did at the end of every day. I want to be a good role model for my students. Making the correct decisions is one way to show students how they should act. I may also be approached to do something that may be a little shady by one of my colleagues. If a situation like this occurs, I will make the appropriate decision. I hope that my coworker will gain something from this experience if it ever occurs.
A pro of being concerned with ethics is that you will be able to defend yourself against a bad situation. You will also benefit by not getting involved with anything that you should not be involved in. A con may be that a person may stress too much about making sure he or she makes the right decision. Some people may fester over every decision and it could lead to some bad health issues.
Being ethical as I teach in a school system is something I wish to say I did at the end of every day. I want to be a good role model for my students. Making the correct decisions is one way to show students how they should act. I may also be approached to do something that may be a little shady by one of my colleagues. If a situation like this occurs, I will make the appropriate decision. I hope that my coworker will gain something from this experience if it ever occurs.
A pro of being concerned with ethics is that you will be able to defend yourself against a bad situation. You will also benefit by not getting involved with anything that you should not be involved in. A con may be that a person may stress too much about making sure he or she makes the right decision. Some people may fester over every decision and it could lead to some bad health issues.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Virtual Tours
A virtual tour is a way to show people what something looks like from the comfort of their own computer. Instead of actually physically going to a place, people can now access what different places look like from their homes. Virtual tours do not always have to be of a specific place, but can also be a field trip of some sort (subject specific). They are very handy when someone is not able to physically do something at that point of time.
When I teach I could use virtual field trips as a different way to inform students about certain topics. It would be a variation to the lecture they will normally get and a good way to incorporate technology into my lessons. These virtual trips will also be a good thing to do if I know I am going to miss school for any reason. I can give the students their instructions and they can go on the Internet and learn for themselves. It helps create student generated learning as well.
The con for virtual tours is that sometimes the Internet may fail you or you may not have a computer for all of your students. It's hard to pair a lot of students to one computer at a time. A pro is that students can get out of that every day routine and begin to learn for themselves and be held accountable.
When I teach I could use virtual field trips as a different way to inform students about certain topics. It would be a variation to the lecture they will normally get and a good way to incorporate technology into my lessons. These virtual trips will also be a good thing to do if I know I am going to miss school for any reason. I can give the students their instructions and they can go on the Internet and learn for themselves. It helps create student generated learning as well.
The con for virtual tours is that sometimes the Internet may fail you or you may not have a computer for all of your students. It's hard to pair a lot of students to one computer at a time. A pro is that students can get out of that every day routine and begin to learn for themselves and be held accountable.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Teacher Web Pages
A teacher web page is created by a teacher as a resource for his or her students. Teacher web pages can include information about the teacher and what school he or she teaches at. There can be links to different web pages such as the teacher's school and other helpful links to the subject that is taught. Teachers can also post past assignments and notes on their website in case a student missed class or did not have the chance to write an assignment down.
When I teach I will use a teacher web page to give my students a place to go to access different information about my class. My students will be able to get past homework assignments on the web page and be able to access the notes. The notes will be what comes right from class including all the examples I use in class. I will also post links to different helpful math sites including the school's website. I will give a contact email in case the parents want to get a hold of me for a conference or to ask questions.
A pro of using a teacher web page is that my students can easily access information from my class in case of absences or in case a student needs to go back and refresh themselves on something he or she did not get in class. Parents can also keep up with what topics their children are covering. A con is that some students do not have access to the Internet and may not be able to retrieve some of the information needed. Today this should not be as big of a problem because of all the resources many schools and libraries have.
When I teach I will use a teacher web page to give my students a place to go to access different information about my class. My students will be able to get past homework assignments on the web page and be able to access the notes. The notes will be what comes right from class including all the examples I use in class. I will also post links to different helpful math sites including the school's website. I will give a contact email in case the parents want to get a hold of me for a conference or to ask questions.
A pro of using a teacher web page is that my students can easily access information from my class in case of absences or in case a student needs to go back and refresh themselves on something he or she did not get in class. Parents can also keep up with what topics their children are covering. A con is that some students do not have access to the Internet and may not be able to retrieve some of the information needed. Today this should not be as big of a problem because of all the resources many schools and libraries have.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Webquests
Webquests are a type of learning that comes directly from the a collection of different websites. The students are on a scavenger hunt to find the answers. In doing this activity, the students are fully engaged in what they are doing because it is more interesting than lecturing and they get to work in groups. It is also up to them how much they get out of it. To complete the webquests the students must read different information and pick out what they think is the most important to complete the task. The teacher then evaluates them on their work. These can either last for a short period of time like a few days or can go as long as a few weeks.
When I begin teaching I plan to use webquests as a creative activity to do. In math, it seems hard to find ways to keep the students interested. By using different teaching techniques, the students will be excited and ready to take on the activity. The webquests will also be a good source for when we are doing long units. I could use them to tie everything together and to see how well my students can learn on their own using the Internet.
There are many pros to webquests. Like stated above, the students get to learn on their own and discover how well they can actually do that. The students also get a break from the teacher lecturing and may find this activity fun and enjoyable. I can think of at least one con to webquests. The effort it takes to make one seems like it would be a lot and a tedious task. It also may take the students a while to finish the activity and some may become bored coming back to it day after day.
When I begin teaching I plan to use webquests as a creative activity to do. In math, it seems hard to find ways to keep the students interested. By using different teaching techniques, the students will be excited and ready to take on the activity. The webquests will also be a good source for when we are doing long units. I could use them to tie everything together and to see how well my students can learn on their own using the Internet.
There are many pros to webquests. Like stated above, the students get to learn on their own and discover how well they can actually do that. The students also get a break from the teacher lecturing and may find this activity fun and enjoyable. I can think of at least one con to webquests. The effort it takes to make one seems like it would be a lot and a tedious task. It also may take the students a while to finish the activity and some may become bored coming back to it day after day.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Getting Started
I just watched the video, "Traveling Through the Dark," by Steven Kimmi. Link:http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=276
I really enjoyed hearing what Steven had to say about how he noticed he needed a change and sought help. It was interesting to see how teachers need to keep up with our world today and to make sure they are meeting the needs of the students. One way of teaching might work for a few years, but then stop working and it was nice to see Steven adapt.
The ways he used technology in his classroom was cool. I liked the idea of video taping his students reading to improve their fluency. I'm sure all the students tried their best each week because of all the parents or visitors of the school's website.
I really enjoyed hearing what Steven had to say about how he noticed he needed a change and sought help. It was interesting to see how teachers need to keep up with our world today and to make sure they are meeting the needs of the students. One way of teaching might work for a few years, but then stop working and it was nice to see Steven adapt.
The ways he used technology in his classroom was cool. I liked the idea of video taping his students reading to improve their fluency. I'm sure all the students tried their best each week because of all the parents or visitors of the school's website.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Technology in Education
I feel that technology is important in education because it helps teachers stay connected and find interesting information to share with others and to use in their classrooms. Teachers can give other teachers ideas for future lessons or give them more resources on a topic of interest. I believe that the students are more interested when using technology because today's world is very highly advanced. There is also more responsibility placed on the students to utilize their resources correctly.
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