My Beliefs

I feel that technology is so import to incorporate into a classroom. On the other hand I was students to be able to think for themselves as well and not lean on technology and use it as a crutch. I think that including technology in the classroom will continue to be more of a necessity and will benefit the student in the years to come. And it is important that I, as the teacher, am up to date and aware of all that is available to me. I think that not only will it help the students and prepare them for the future, but it also makes learning fun. Incorparating new technologies makes a boring research paper fun and when the student is enjoying themselves then they are more likely to get something out of it rather than just fulfill the requirement.

On the other hand, I feel that sometimes students will hide behind this new technology. Students need to learn to balance technology with face-to-face interaction. In the "real world" students will be required at some point or anther to work with other people in some way, that is why I feel that that interaction with others is important. I feel that there is a balance that needs to be met when it comes to incorporating technology in a classroom.

With this new wave of information also comes it's risks. Internet research has brought a whole new set of challenges to teachers. As a history teacher, research is something that needs to be taught at the beginning of a course. This now world of technology now makes research so much simpler for students. However, students also need to be taught about what is a reliable source. If these rules of reliable sources are taught early then including technology in research will make a large research project seem a lot less daunting and more of a fun activity for the students and they in return may enjoy learning about something that without this technology may have lost interest in at the start of the project.

Lessons Learned

I think that the biggest lesson that I learned is how much there really is that is available to students now a days concerning technology. The resources seem to be endless. I remember when I was in high school and I was assigned a research paper, my resources were limited to a short time spent in the library where there were only a few books on obscure topics and the encyclopedia set that my parents had at home. Today research is at the touch of a button.

There was one video that I watched that gave statics of technology today, the question was asked "where would we be without Google?" How true this is! Research has already been done. Now students need to sift through this research and find what works for there needs and learn from that. There is no need to "reinvent the wheel". The problem now is teaching students where to find credible resources on the internet.

Strengths & Weaknesses

I feel that when it comes to technology I have many weaknesses. The fact is is that a lot of in depth technology is very new to me. Before I took this class my knowledge on technology was limited to practically only Google research and email. When I was in high school we still hand wrote our papers out and now everything is done on the computer. Instead of reading a book version of the encyclopedia it's all on the inter net now. I need to learn so much to more for technology to be effectively used in my classroom

I feel that a strength I have is that I want to learn so much more about technology so that I can use it more often in my classroom. There is so much that is available to help one learn to become better. The online tutorial are endless that will help you with internet research and even tutorial with computer terminology. Both are so important and I plan to do partake of to better myself. I wish to a great asset to my students and by becoming more technologically incline is the best way to star.

Digital Camera/Picasa Collage

April 6 - Internet Safety and Cyber Ethics

What:

This past class period we learned about different areas of Internet Safety such as: Sexting, Cyber Bulling and Cyber Ethics.

So What:

For me as a student this is something that I need to be aware of so that I am properly trained in dealing with when I face it in the classroom as a teacher. I think that these topics need to be taught to prospective teachers because for the most part these were not necessarily issues when I was in high school but they are very real issues now. I need to learn about these different areas so that I most importantly know what they are and how to identify a problem when it arises.

Now What:

For me as a teacher, I need to be on the look-out for these kinds of situations. Like I mentioned earlier, these were not issues when I was in high school but for the kids now it is. Teachers need to not only make sure they know about these issues when they arise, they need to know how to contact the parents and proper authorities when needed. This is also bigger then just the classroom. I believe that school should be teaching the parents about what kinds of things they need to look out for at home. The is is that most kids spend more time in the classrooms with teachers then they do at home with their families. Often times parents have no idea what kinds of things their child is up to when they leave the house every morning. I think that if we not only educate the student but educate the parents as well then all will benefit. The line between the students school life and private/personal life is such a thin line. That is why incorporating all who are involved in the student's life will create a positive learning environment for the student both at home and in the classroom.

23 March - Digital Story

What:

This project was to create a digital story that answered a particular question pertaining to our different content areas.

So What:

This is a great tool for doing something creative with the research that has been collected. In general this is a great way for teachers to share their ideas with each other as well. This type of project can be used in so many different capacities.

Now What:

I really enjoyed completing this assignment. This is something that intend to bring into my own classroom. In history we spend so much time researching different topics and if students are simple asked to write paper after paper then they get bored and get less out of it. Having them do something like a digital story will help them put the history that they have learned into action. Essentially, they are bringing history alive. Students only tend to pay attention to information that they can relate to or/and they are enjoying learning.

This is also a great way to bring technology into the classroom. The fact is is that our society is going more toward a technology filled life then ever before. When I was in high school I remember when we got our first computer lab in our school. Now something like that pretty much comes standard. Some classrooms themselves come supplied with enough laptops for everyone in the class. This is such a great opportunity for students to learn about these kinds of technological advancements. This will in turn help prepare them for the ever-changing "real world"

This would also be a great opportunity to unite the department. Often times there are multiple teachers teaching the same subject. This way the teachers would be able to compare and contrast where in the unit each classes are. The teachers would be able to see whether or not they have truly understood the content that was being taught.

2 March - Digital Story part 1

What:

We learned how to create a digital story to use in several different capacities in our classrooms. We learned how to add narration as well as much to add to the emotional effect of the stories.

So What:

This is an excellent way for me as a student to be able to prepare my history projects in a fun and dramatic way. I really liked how in the examples that we saw there was so much emotions that was conveyed. This is a great way for anyone's story to be told.

Now What:

I am looking forward to completing my own digital story. I am very much looking forward to doing this assignment either in my class or for my class. I think that this would be a great way to bring technology into the classroom. If it fit into the curriculum schedule and the tools were available I would love to have my students create a digital story of their own. A story like this require a lot of research with is an important tool for students to learn.

23 February - Vidcast Reflection

The name of this vidcast is: An Introduction to Eighth Grade U.S. History 1. The core curriculum that this particular vidcast addresses is: Social Studies - U.S. History 1.

The reason I chose this particular topic is because I think that it would be a great way to bring technology into the classroom. This would also be a great way to capture the student's attention. All too often students complain about history being boring, well this is a way that students can use more than just one of their senses. They will not only be listening but watching. The students will be able to also put pictures with the facts that they are learning. Using a vidcast as an introduction will also give the students a sort of "head's up" as to what is to come. I believe that students will listen more to something that they can relate to no matter how "cheesy" it is presented to them. T.V. and movies are a great way to do that. When you are combining pictures with words and music the students are more likely to pay attention and get something out of it.

Some potential drawback are that there is just so much information to cover it is very hard to squeeze hundreds of years of history into a short couple minute movie overview. The students may miss a lot. Another drawback is that often times when a teacher turns on a movie, not matter how short it is, the students will zone out and sometimes simple fall asleep. So when that happens, the student is getting noting out of it because they are not actively participating. Another drawback is the amount of time and preparation that goes into creating this. I'm not sure I would have to time to do this for all my section because there is other things that will benefit the students more that I, as the teacher should be spending my time on.

Future for a vidcast series would include section introductions. Like I discussed earlier, it is very important to capture the student's attention in the beginning. Using technology like this would do just that. In a series I would, time allowing, make a vidcast story to appropriately introduce each section that will be discussed and learned about in class. The vidcast that I made for this project is an introduction to the core for the entire term. I would like to further discuss each section, breaking it down and pulling out the important themes. I think that for the most part the students would love this. I do feel it would capture attention and they would want to know more about parts that sparked their interest. I think bringing technology into the classroom is an important part in reaching the kids of today, for technology is something they know and can relate to.

16 February - Vidcast part 1

What:

We learned about the different types of vidcast software that is available for us to use both in our assignment and our classrooms.

So What:

It is important for me to succeed right now as a student to know what kinds of application are available for me to use. We learned about the different types of vidcasts that we could do as well. I think that this is a fun way to put together a project. This would be a great tool to use in other classes to present information when doing class projects.

Now What:

I think that this would be a great tool to use in my future classrooms. Bringing technology into the classroom is a great tool to capture the students attention. This would be a great tool to use for showing examples and giving introduction of a unit or lesson. The variety of different types of tools that offer vidcast programs will be able to keep things fresh. Students won't have to use the same tools and will be able to use what will work best for them.

9 February - Podcast

What:

This assignment we learn how to create a podcast and then publish it to our class website.

So What:

I'm not real sure how I would use this assignment in my classes now. I don't feel that at this point in my college career I would use this. I think that to learn about podcasts are important for me now. I like that I am able to take to time and learn about this particular piece of technology. It will definitely help me in the future.

Now What:

As a teacher I think this would be a great way to have the students take what they have learned in lecture or what they have gathered during research and present it in a fun and creative way. I feel that if the students are enjoying themselves they are more likely to get more out of the exercise. And really that is the point, to use whatever means to get the students to learn and prepare them for the future. Students, in general like to use technology because it's something that they are used to and helps them connect to the material they are learning.

2 February - UEN

The UEN website is an excellent tool that is available for teachers, parents and students. When I began my education classes I was asked to create a UEN login however no one took the time to walk us through all the site has to offer. However this assignment has given me the opportunity to learn about what all the UEN website has to offer. In our education classes we are taught over and over again to not "reinvent the wheel" and use lesson plans that are already created and just adapt them to your classes. This site offers just that, several different lesson plans for different topics and curriculum specific.

Having the curriculum all mapped out is a wonderful asset for teachers. This is a great tool because teachers can develop lesson plans that flow and will better prepare students for upcoming objectives that they will need to know. With history it's very important to follow a curriculum because everything builds on the lesson previous. Having what is expected of each lesson in one place will save so much preparation time. The fact is is that there is so much for teachers to cover and sometimes things need to be left out to focus on things that are higher on the priority list. Having the curriculum post on a readily accessible website allows teachers to combine things too save some time and spend more time on things that will inevitably require more time.

Another great tool is the interactives. Not only will students have fun but they can make visual connections. They will be able to have fun learning. This would be a great review tool. Students will not only be learning something and using their critical thinking skills but expanding their knowledge base and enjoying it. It's important to keep students attention or they are likely to zone-out and stop learning. I can say that I had fun going through this tool, it was so easy to use and interesting. I think that it is so important to make learning fun and to help the students make connections between the history that they are learning their own lives. Interactives do just that, they help the students put history in action.

The Pioneer Library has so many different tools that can be used in the classroom. I really like the CultureGrams. This would be a great tool to use in a World or US history class. This would give the students a better understanding of the make-up of different countries. I plan to use this in my classroom. I also plan on using movie clips of documentaries in my classroom. I strongly feel that students learn better if they have many different outlets to learn from. Not only that but having these different outlets broaden student's knowledge base. Technology is the "wave of the future" and I plan to use as much technology as I can and still be affective in my classroom.

26 January - Google 2

What?

This assignment had us create a class website to use for our classrooms. We were to make every page and add things that would be useful to our classroom.

So What?

This is an important tool to learn so that as a teacher, I can make my classroom and what I expect from the students readily available for parents. This is also a great tool to learn to help myself stay organized. Teaching requires a lot of work and acquiring many different resources. With several of these resources stored in this website, when I need to refer to them for a class project for me as a student they are ready to go and organized. All I would need to do is to adapt things to fit the class my assignments are for.

Now What?
This is a tool that I will most definitely use in my classroom. I just love the idea of having a central place that my students and their parents know where to look for assignments and updates and upcoming events. I would like to have a discussions tool on this like we have on blackboard. I think I would like to have online discussions as well. I also feel that this would be a good place to share ideas with other teachers. I think it's important that teachers that are teaching the same subject should be on somewhat of the same page in their lessons and what they expect from the students. I think that this tool would help me become a better teacher because I would be more organized, which is an important skill for a teacher.

19 January - Everything Google

What:

In this assignment we learn all about Google. Such as gmail, Google docs, Google calendar, and other Google tools.

So What:

This is an excellent tool that can be applied to all of my other classes. Both my education classes and my history classes. This gives me the opportunity to email professors when I am going to miss class or if I need to turn an assignment in after class hours. The calendar gives me the ability to schedule out my days and store them electronically and and take it with me with having caring a scheduling book with me. Several of the other applications that are available help me stay connected and up to date with important news. Technology like this is important to learn about because, I for one was not taught this information in high school so when I did decide to come back to college there were new technology that I knew nothing about but that I was expected to use. This new technology that keeps coming forward makes communication in general much easier.

Now What:

This new technology will make make it so much easier for my students to communicate. With not only me, as the teacher, but other students. I am a big fan of group work and I think that being able to use Google docs my students will be able to work on projects ans papers together. Being able to use this technology in my classroom I will be able to add more group work into my lesson plans. This will also make it easier to comment and critique their work and help them improve easier. This new technology will also be able to help my student have a better idea of knowing when an assignment is due. As far as working with my colleagues, being email each will not only allow us to share ideas that work in the classrooms and but to be able discuss students that are doing well and those that are having problems. This in turn will not only help the student succeed but help the teacher to be able to better help the students progress.

12 January - Educational Philosophy

Purpose of Education:
I believe that it is through education that the students will learn not only facts and figures but they will learn about themselves as well. Providing students with proper education will teach students how to think critically and form their own opinions. This will then in turn help students discover themselves in the process. Most importantly students will gain a wider knowledge bas which will be a good building foundation for further education.

Public Education Role:
I feel that the main role of public education is to give students the knowledge they will need for the future in a safe and educational diverse environment. Public education is a place for many students to congregate together with the same goal and purpose in mind. In a country as diverse as America really is, public education gives students an opportunity to, not only learn from the teachers but to learn from each other as well.

Views On Equal Opportunity:
The United States of America was fonded on the principals of freedom and liberty for all. With that comes the fact that all students regardless of race, color or creed are promised excellent and fulfilling education. Each public school has a responsibility and duty to provide the best education possible and to make any and all accommodations when needed.

Implications For The Future:
The future of education is so subjective. Look how far we have come in the last 100 years of education. It is my hope that we, as a society continue to learn and grow from our mistakes as well as our successes when it comes to educating our children. I have high hopes that we will be able to incorporate the constant involvement of new technologies and apply that to our teaching techniques.

Implications For Me As A Teacher:
My classroom will be one where the students are not singled out for being different, but are taught to embrace that difference and learn from it and embrace it. I plan to do my very best to include all types of cultures. Since I will be teaching history, I plan to include the different cultures in my lessons as much as possible. This will give the students an opportunity to learn from other student's cultures and backgrounds. The fact is is that student's do not all learn the same, so I think that it is important to involve different instruction methods to accommodate these different learners. In doing this it will also broaden the minds of the students in my class. This will stimulate their minds rather then doing the same thing in the same way. In turn making history come alive. Each student deserves a chance to learn the very most they can in an environment where they feel safe and are inspires to succeed, this is what I plan to create in my classroom.