1. Identify and discuss 5 pros and 5 cons of online virtual schools.
5 Pros:
1. If a teacher has a baby, she will be able to take care of her child without leaving her house!
2. The teacher would have less paper work because it will all be online.
3. If the teacher wanted to travel, they are able to take the computer with them and do work from their vacation destination.
4. Materials are given to the students and teachers!
5. Online schools can allow flexible hours for all parties.
5 Cons-
1. You can never always rely on the Internet. A lot of times, the Internet can freeze or the website won't work which will disable the students learning.
2. There is no face to face communication. This is sometimes a big deal because students learn better by actually talking to the teacher. If the student needs help, it will take a while for the teacher to respond because the teacher and student can have different schedules.
3. There could be a lack of motivation because it is online. I know when I take online classes, I wait until the last minute to do the homework.
4. Students do not get to work with children their own age. Interacting with peers in an important thing for students of young age.
5. Students can be doing more than one thing at a time. The students could be on their AIM, MySpace, Facebook, or e-mail which means they are not giving their full potential to the school work.
2. Discuss how you think virtual schools might impact your future teaching.
Virtual Schools seem like a good and bad idea for me. I love being with my family and if I get married and have children, I will want to be with them a lot! I love to travel and see new places so this would give me the option to travel. It gives me flexible hours and allows me to do my work when I want to without a real deadline. This would be good if I want to teach general education. The bad thing is that I am planning to teach special education. This option would not be available to students with special needs. I would have to have one-on-one interactions with these children. Overall, I do not see myself pursuing this Virtual Schools lifestyle.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Emerging Technologies in the Classroom
Multi-Touch Smart Desks
This technology will make students excited to learn. This helps students in many ways. Students learn how to use the existing technology such as a computer. This is crucial because the world is based on technologies such as a computer. This desk helps students to be engaged in the classroom. When a teacher is working on her smartboard, the students don’t get to interact at the same time. With the Smart Desks, the students can engage in the same activities as the teacher and follow the teacher along during the lesson. Students’ minds can wander very easily if they are not engaging in the activity so this technology almost ensures the fact that students will be engaging in the lessons within the classroom.
Teachers can make sure the students have met the objectives by being able to actually look at what the students are doing. The desk is a computer where the students can save their work. The teacher can look at the students work through the main system. Many times when students work on a computer project, there are not enough computers to properly ensure that all the students are interacting with the technology. With the Smart Desk, the teacher can insure that all students can have the chance to work on the computer and complete all their assignments.
Google Earth
This technology puts the whole world on a student’s computer. It allows the students to go to any area in the world with just a click of a button. Students can travel from space to a certain street to find geographic information. Google Earth is a search engine that is very entertaining to all individuals, not just students. It is a 3D model of the planet that allows the user to spin the world to where they want to explore and zoom in on certain areas. When the area of choice is zoomed in on, the user can see realistic 3D buildings located in that area as well as houses, lakes, etc. It’s a very interactive technology that makes learning fun.
Students would learn very well from this technology. A teacher can use this technology in almost all classroom subjects. Students can learn about the layers of the Earth to study economics, demographics, and transportation. Teachers can have students use real-time coordinates to demonstrate distance calculations and verify the results using the measurement tools. Students can view tectonic plate-shift evidence by examining whole continents, mountain ranges and volcanic activity. Students can use Google Earth to explore topics like the progress of human civilization, the growth of cities, and the impact of civilization on the natural world.
This technology can really impact the way a student learns. Students can use this technology in Biology by tracking routes of chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe Forest. Students can take quizzes based on Google Earth in Ecology. In Environmental Science students are able to check Alaska’s global warming problems. There are many activities and lessons the teacher can make from this technology. Teachers can have the students do projects based off this fun and interactive technology that will engage students in all kinds of learning.
Skype
Skype is a software that allows users to talk over the computer. This technology allows people to talk to each other as if they are sitting right next to each other. All you need is a headset, computer, and another user on another computer. Not only can you call someone on another computer, you are able to call someone on their actual phone. This technology allows users to be different characters when communicating with another person. Students can have fun making themselves animals, robots, and even the moon!
This is a fun interactive technology that can be beneficial in the classroom. A teacher can have a guest lecturer talk to the class without actually being there. Students can ask the speaker questions as if the speaker was talking in the front of the room. Students can also interact with students their own age at different schools all over the world. Teachers can have students do projects with other students in different classrooms in a different city, state, or country.
This would be very beneficial to students. This allows students to interact with people of different cultures. Students can open up their minds to different life styles by interacting with students all over the world. It’s important to have students be open-minded in today’s society. This technology can impact the students’ lives more just within the school setting. I believe Skype would be a great way to learn about other people and other cultures, especially for students!
http://www.skype.com/
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Blogs and Wikis in Education
1) Identify and describe 3 interesting/innovative ways blogs and/or wikis are being used in K-12 classrooms.
One way that blogs and wiki’s are being used is a form of resource for students. Teachers can make sites that have other resources linked to it for students about any subject they want. Another way that they are being used is a form of communication for teachers and students/parents. Students can check their teacher’s blogs/wiki’s to be updated on information. Lastly, teachers are posting collaborative projects on the blogs/wikis. Students can go on the website created by the teacher to see the projects, rubrics, etc for projects.
2) Describe how you might use RSS readers/aggregators within a classroom setting.
A RSS reader is a browser add-on program that is designed to gather and display blogs, posts, and other web content according to what the user is interested in. I learned that when you surf the web, the RSS reader tracks what you look up and gathers background as you are surfing the web. When a new article or message of potential interest is available the RSS reader pops up and lets the person know. An aggregator is a software which aggregates web content such as news headlines, blogs, messages, etc in a single location. It reduces the time and effort needed to regularly check websites for updates. I learned that this would be useful when a student is researching information and when they have looked through enough, they will point them to new information. Instead of the student taking a lot of time to look for information, these will allow the students to get fast and accurate information on their subject/topic.
3) Describe at least 2 pros and 2 cons of using blogs and wikis in education.
The first pro would be the fact that students can access the blogs and wikis outside of class. If a student needs to know what their homework is or needs to look at something on the website, it is just a click away. Another pro would be the fact that teachers can make learning fun through technology. Instead of having to do boring assignments through a book, a student can go to the website, and click the resource sites the teacher has recommended for them to go to. It is more interactive.
The first con would be the fact that if a teacher posts something for the class on their site, some kids could not have computers at home to access the sites. This would leave the kids behind the other students just because they don’t have the opportunity to have a computer at home. Another con would be the fact that technology doesn’t always work. Sometimes there are errors on the website or the website is down so the students can’t always access the site.
One way that blogs and wiki’s are being used is a form of resource for students. Teachers can make sites that have other resources linked to it for students about any subject they want. Another way that they are being used is a form of communication for teachers and students/parents. Students can check their teacher’s blogs/wiki’s to be updated on information. Lastly, teachers are posting collaborative projects on the blogs/wikis. Students can go on the website created by the teacher to see the projects, rubrics, etc for projects.
2) Describe how you might use RSS readers/aggregators within a classroom setting.
A RSS reader is a browser add-on program that is designed to gather and display blogs, posts, and other web content according to what the user is interested in. I learned that when you surf the web, the RSS reader tracks what you look up and gathers background as you are surfing the web. When a new article or message of potential interest is available the RSS reader pops up and lets the person know. An aggregator is a software which aggregates web content such as news headlines, blogs, messages, etc in a single location. It reduces the time and effort needed to regularly check websites for updates. I learned that this would be useful when a student is researching information and when they have looked through enough, they will point them to new information. Instead of the student taking a lot of time to look for information, these will allow the students to get fast and accurate information on their subject/topic.
3) Describe at least 2 pros and 2 cons of using blogs and wikis in education.
The first pro would be the fact that students can access the blogs and wikis outside of class. If a student needs to know what their homework is or needs to look at something on the website, it is just a click away. Another pro would be the fact that teachers can make learning fun through technology. Instead of having to do boring assignments through a book, a student can go to the website, and click the resource sites the teacher has recommended for them to go to. It is more interactive.
The first con would be the fact that if a teacher posts something for the class on their site, some kids could not have computers at home to access the sites. This would leave the kids behind the other students just because they don’t have the opportunity to have a computer at home. Another con would be the fact that technology doesn’t always work. Sometimes there are errors on the website or the website is down so the students can’t always access the site.
Engaging Students with Concept Mapping Activities
Post a 3-5 paragraph summary of the 3-5 ideas you explored for how you could use Concept Mapping within your future classroom. Give your specific examples.
Concept Mapping is a great idea for a classroom. I fell in love with this idea after first using it. You can do a variety of different things with Concept Mapping in a classroom. One idea would be in reading and writing. Kids can strengthen their word recognition, vocabulary and comprehension. Children can also develop critical thinking skills for stories using this Concept Mapping idea. A child can have a book and learn about the different parts of the book, the main characters, the setting, and what happens in the story. Here is an example I made:
Discuss what you see as the impact of the use of Concept mapping within your classroom might have on student learning? Give some details to support your statements. Students learn a variety of things from concept mapping. They learn how to compare and contrast, group certain ideas, they can learn about books from making maps, etc.
Concept Mapping is a great idea for a classroom. I fell in love with this idea after first using it. You can do a variety of different things with Concept Mapping in a classroom. One idea would be in reading and writing. Kids can strengthen their word recognition, vocabulary and comprehension. Children can also develop critical thinking skills for stories using this Concept Mapping idea. A child can have a book and learn about the different parts of the book, the main characters, the setting, and what happens in the story. Here is an example I made:
Another idea would be for math. This would be good for children to learn math by using visual math tools to build problem solving and reasoning skills. Students can build number sense, spatial reasoning, and the understanding of the four basic operations. Here is an example I made: 
Another idea would be for science. Students could explore the relationships between animals, bugs, birds, etc. They can also learn about the classification of certain things. Here is an example I made:
Another idea would be for social studies. This concept mapping idea can help kids understand history, geography, civics, and economics. They can make connections between historical events and learn differences between cultures. Here is an example I made:
- Discuss some criteria that you would use to decide whether or not Concept Mapping activities would be part of a lesson for your students.The biggest thing would be whether the kids would learn from concept mapping or not. If the kids just get confused from the mapping concept then it would not be useful to have in the classroom for that certain activity. Math could be a hard subject to use concept mapping with if you are teaching harder activities. It would be a good idea if a child is a visual learner! This is a great idea for children who learn better by pictures rather than words.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
TeacherWeb Reflections
1. Describe and discuss the impacts your use of a class web site like the one we created on TeacherWeb might have on student learning, on student engagement, and communications with students and parents.
TeacherWeb can have a big impact on students and parents. TeacherWeb can help students with their learning. A lot of times children just go home and don't do their homework because they forget what they are supposed to do that night. With TeacherWeb students can see what they need to do that night for school by checking the Teacher's website. It also impacts students' engagement. Students can get to know their teacher by their TeacherWeb. They also can be interactive in a blog on the teacher's site. They can discuss how they felt about a subject and give the teacher feedback. TeacherWeb also impacts communication with students and parents. Students and parents can be kept updated on certain things in the classroom on the teacher's site. Parents can contact the teacher through this site. They can also see what their child is supposed to do at night for homework or see how their child is doing in school by checking their grades. It is important for the parents to be involved in their children's schooling.
2. Identify and discuss what you see as the two biggest advantages of designing and using a classroom web site within your teaching activities. Also, identify what you see as the biggest disadvantage of using a class website for instructional activities and why.
One of the biggest advantages of using a classroom website would be teaching kids to use technology. Technology is such a large part of life and it is important for students to understand how technology works. Having students navigate through the class website is a great way for them to understand websites. Links to other educational sites are important to have on the class website. These links are beneficial because not only does it allow more resources for students to use but it gives students active involvement in using technology.
The other advantage is the communication between the parents/students and teacher. Posting information about the class is important because it allows the students and parents to see what is going on within the classroom and what the students need to do. The teacher can post information about studying and how the parents can help the students at home. It allows the parents to contact the teacher as well as get to know who the teacher is.
The biggest disadvantage would be the fact that not all students have access to computers at home. Many people do not have the privilege of having the technology some of us have. Having a classroom website would only benefit the students with access to computers. It would leave out students without computers which would ultimately be unfair and not beneficial to those students.
TeacherWeb can have a big impact on students and parents. TeacherWeb can help students with their learning. A lot of times children just go home and don't do their homework because they forget what they are supposed to do that night. With TeacherWeb students can see what they need to do that night for school by checking the Teacher's website. It also impacts students' engagement. Students can get to know their teacher by their TeacherWeb. They also can be interactive in a blog on the teacher's site. They can discuss how they felt about a subject and give the teacher feedback. TeacherWeb also impacts communication with students and parents. Students and parents can be kept updated on certain things in the classroom on the teacher's site. Parents can contact the teacher through this site. They can also see what their child is supposed to do at night for homework or see how their child is doing in school by checking their grades. It is important for the parents to be involved in their children's schooling.
2. Identify and discuss what you see as the two biggest advantages of designing and using a classroom web site within your teaching activities. Also, identify what you see as the biggest disadvantage of using a class website for instructional activities and why.
One of the biggest advantages of using a classroom website would be teaching kids to use technology. Technology is such a large part of life and it is important for students to understand how technology works. Having students navigate through the class website is a great way for them to understand websites. Links to other educational sites are important to have on the class website. These links are beneficial because not only does it allow more resources for students to use but it gives students active involvement in using technology.
The other advantage is the communication between the parents/students and teacher. Posting information about the class is important because it allows the students and parents to see what is going on within the classroom and what the students need to do. The teacher can post information about studying and how the parents can help the students at home. It allows the parents to contact the teacher as well as get to know who the teacher is.
The biggest disadvantage would be the fact that not all students have access to computers at home. Many people do not have the privilege of having the technology some of us have. Having a classroom website would only benefit the students with access to computers. It would leave out students without computers which would ultimately be unfair and not beneficial to those students.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom
1. Identify which of the multiple intelligences you have strengths in and then discuss some of the core characteristics of that (or those) intelligences. Discuss which of the core characteristics best describe you and your learning style.
Of the nine intelligences, my biggest strength is in the Visual Intelligence. The core characteristics of the Visual Intelligence are spatial awareness, non-sequential reasoning, visual acuity, imagination, and small motor coordination. The core characteristics that best describe me are non-sequential reasoning, imagination, and small motor coordination. I am very good at thinking outside the box and I am able to "see" ideas. I can have mental images of ideas before I actually "conduct" the idea. I enjoy rearranging the environment as much as possible so things don't get boring. In elementary school, I would always want the teacher to rearrange the classroom and desks so it was more interesting to the students.
2. Discuss what students with this type of intelligence enjoy, are like, or tend to do within classroom settings. Students with a strong visual intelligence seek ocular stimulation, respond to color and shape, can "see" their ideas, enjoy expressing themselves through art, enjoy rearranging their environment, and understand by seeing a concept in action.
3. Discuss how you will support this type of intelligence within your classroom and within your teaching.
I as a teacher, would support this type of intelligence within my classroom and within my teaching by brainstorming ideas with the students, providing a visually stimulating environment, allowing students to move around the classroom, providing visual assessment performance tasks, using visual technologies, sketching plans before beginning work, having guided imagery exercises and semantic mapping, working with manipulatives, and diagramming abstract concepts.
4. Discuss what technologies stimulate thus type of intelligence.
The technologies that stimulate this type of intelligence are overhead projector, video, television, picture books, digital camera, scanner, slide shows, art supplies, dry erase board, graphing, charting, digital animation and movies.
5. And finally, discuss how you see your attention to multiple intelligences could impact student learning within your classroom.
Knowing that I am a visual learner helped me realize that all children learn differently and they may be a different kind of learner than I am. This means that I have to accommodate for all learners in my classroom; not just the one that I am or the most popular learning style. I have to be able to teach all kinds of learners no matter what!
Of the nine intelligences, my biggest strength is in the Visual Intelligence. The core characteristics of the Visual Intelligence are spatial awareness, non-sequential reasoning, visual acuity, imagination, and small motor coordination. The core characteristics that best describe me are non-sequential reasoning, imagination, and small motor coordination. I am very good at thinking outside the box and I am able to "see" ideas. I can have mental images of ideas before I actually "conduct" the idea. I enjoy rearranging the environment as much as possible so things don't get boring. In elementary school, I would always want the teacher to rearrange the classroom and desks so it was more interesting to the students.
2. Discuss what students with this type of intelligence enjoy, are like, or tend to do within classroom settings. Students with a strong visual intelligence seek ocular stimulation, respond to color and shape, can "see" their ideas, enjoy expressing themselves through art, enjoy rearranging their environment, and understand by seeing a concept in action.
3. Discuss how you will support this type of intelligence within your classroom and within your teaching.
I as a teacher, would support this type of intelligence within my classroom and within my teaching by brainstorming ideas with the students, providing a visually stimulating environment, allowing students to move around the classroom, providing visual assessment performance tasks, using visual technologies, sketching plans before beginning work, having guided imagery exercises and semantic mapping, working with manipulatives, and diagramming abstract concepts.
4. Discuss what technologies stimulate thus type of intelligence.
The technologies that stimulate this type of intelligence are overhead projector, video, television, picture books, digital camera, scanner, slide shows, art supplies, dry erase board, graphing, charting, digital animation and movies.
5. And finally, discuss how you see your attention to multiple intelligences could impact student learning within your classroom.
Knowing that I am a visual learner helped me realize that all children learn differently and they may be a different kind of learner than I am. This means that I have to accommodate for all learners in my classroom; not just the one that I am or the most popular learning style. I have to be able to teach all kinds of learners no matter what!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Day One
Hello, I am Molly Hennessy. This class seems like it will be very exciting and beneficial for my education!
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