Blog #10

I remember back in the good ol' days of CI 201, sitting down in the CTLT staring at the screen trying to hold in a stream of obscenities as I realized that I had lost a page of my website and had to start that part over again. Thankfully, I finished the site on time and it still stands as it did back then! (you can see it here) I think that e-portfolios are fantastic, reading these articles actually inspires me to go back and update and make mine a bit more professional for interviews.

In younger grades students can use them to share work with home as well as have a place to access their files from home and at school. Teaching students web design and aesthetics as well as using best practice and integrity are great lessons to start with students at a young age. Designing an online portfolio would be a great co-curricular lesson with art as well, learning about balance, unity and color are all key art concepts. It can also open up students to new career ideas, like web design or graphic design that they may not have thought of before.

Blog #9

The concept of using gaming in education is not a new one to me. I've had several classes that attempted to integrate Second Life in some way. To be quite honest, this is one area of technology that I'm not very supportive of in the area of education. If games or virtual MMORPGs existed that were actually educational or meaningful I would be all for it. Granted, I've only had limited experiences with various gaming programs, but, I really just don't see it.

Second Life really accomplishes nothing other than allowing you to run around in various worlds, it's not intuitive or particularly user-friendly. I consider myself to be a "digital native" I'm fairly comfortable with new programs/technologies and rarely have to look at directions for how things work...I just figure it out. However, with Second Life I was frustrated nearly the whole time, either the game lagged so much I could hardly move or I couldn't figure out how to access something. My teacher wanted us to go on a "scavenger hunt" and explore some online environments, but, I saw no educational value in any of this. It was unorganized and frankly, it was sort of chaotic.

I know that kids use video games a lot, I grew up with a Nintendo 64 and loved it, there just needs to be a company that steps up and revolutionizes the way we think about educational games. Math Blaster and Reader Rabbit don't grab students' attention, they don't sit for hours playing it and they certainly don't interest high school students like Call of Duty or Halo do. There has to be a change.

Blog #8

It's interesting that we're talking about portable media. I oftentimes forget that it exists or even that it could be used in an educational setting. I almost view it as an extension of myself, my cell phone, laptop and iPod are pretty much always with me and I panic when they're lost or I've left them at home. I feel disconnected and a little lost, it's sort of crazy when you step back to think about it really.

The articles were really interesting. It had NEVER occurred to me to use a cell phone in education. They were banned in my high school and most schools I've had practicums in have a similar policy. I really loved the concept of teaching students HOW to access information, throughout reading the article I really came to agree with everything that it said. I remember in school being forced to memorize things, like the periodic table, and wondering what the point was...if I needed to know an element, I could look at the poster on the wall. I knew how to access the information. Students are smart and making them do rote memorization of uninteresting concepts really makes them check out of learning. When you make it meaningful, make the search something that they're interested in and what to know, that's when it becomes meaningful and something that students can remember. I always remember things I write for papers in college, especially the ones I have to do lots of research for. The search for important information makes it more valuable and memorable to me.

Portable media is the way of the future, schools really need to re-think the way they are delivering information.

Blog #7

I really enjoyed the link for this week, I'm going to put in my favorite part here and then talk about it,

"Instead of valuing one style, an organization should respect and value the adaptive and innovative styles of creativity. Individuals within an organization can work more effectively together by capitalizing on each others' strengths, rather than punishing each other because of individual differences. If an atmosphere of openness and trust prevails in the organization, then the adaptors and innovators will be able to join their creative talents to propel the organization to success. ... Individuals will manifest their creativity in different ways, and both styles of creativity are valuable."

I think that really is the key part of creativity. Each student will be gifted in different ways. I judged ITEC a few weeks ago and just seeing how absolutely different every student's project was, despite the fact that they were given similar parameters was incredible. Even in TWT class, we all get the same LEGO kits, everyone comes up with different ways to solve the problem. I think that many lessons in school could use some more creativity and free thinking from students. Presenting them with materials and a problem, forces them to not only be creative, but, to be critical thinkers, which inspires the next generation of people to accomplish many more things.

Reflection Blog #6

I think that creativity tools are my favorite part of education. I feel like students really enjoy projects more when they are able to create the project themselves and make it their own. I remember reading in an article once about a teacher who was baffled by students coming into the computer lab, sitting down, and instantly changing the desktop background.

I tend to be more on the "artsy" side of things, I LOVE working with imovie or Garage Band to create all sorts of things. I think inspiring creativity in kids really works their brain and helps them to critically think in new ways. Without creativity, we would have none of the inventions we have today.

Lesson #5

Who's Who at Our School?

Grade Level: Second Grade

Content Area: Writing

Technologies Used: iPod with microphone attachment, iTunes, Laptops with Word

Overview: Students will interview different people in the school using iPod microphones and then create a news story "human interest" piece about their person.

Procedures:

1. Students will first be split into partners to work together on this project. They will begin by reading examples of stories that the newspapers do about people in the community.
2. They will work together using their laptops to develop the questions they will ask.
3. The teacher will set up a time and a person for them to interview in the school such as the principal, secretary, janitor and specials teachers. Students will have a print out of their questions as well as a microphone and will record their interview.
4. Students will load their interview into iTunes and will refer back to it as needed throughout the writing process.
5. Students will then work together to create their human interest story using Word to write and work together.
6. The articles can all be brought together and published in an online class blog, in the school newspaper or in a newsletter that goes home.

Standards:

Iowa Core:

Students will write for different communication purposes.

Students will write using different formats and write for different mediums.

Students will incorporate technology as a tool to enhance writing.

Students will listen for information and understanding.

NETS-S

Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate and use information.

Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

Lesson Plan #4

Grade Level:

Third Grade

Content:

History: Christopher Columbus

Tech Used:

Internet, Computers, LCD Projector

Activity Overview:

Students will use multiple online websites to research information about Christopher Columbus. Students will use this information to create an online timeline highlighting at least 10 important events in Columbus' life.

Procedures:

The lesson will start with a KWL chart on Christopher Columbus. Students will use the "W" questions to guide them in their online search. Students will then begin their search from a list of pre-approved bookmarked sites. Students will choose the information they want to include on their timeline. Students will then take the information they have gathered and use this timeline tool to create their timeline about Christopher Columbus. The teacher may want to model using the LCD projector for students so that they have a starting point and somewhere to begin working from. Students will then present their timeline using the LCD projector.

Essential Skills and Concepts:

Students will use pre-writing to prepare for research

Students will collect and expand historical information

Students will learn how to create a timeline using online resources

Standards:

Iowa Core

Understand cause and effect relationships and other historical thinking skills in order to interpret events and issues.

Understand historical patterns, periods of time, and the relationships among these elements.

Understand the role of innovation on the development and interaction of societies.

NETS-S

Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:

use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.

Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:

locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.

process data and report results.