Students Using Technology

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EDST Final Reflection

1. Have your opinions about technology integration in education changed since the beginning of the term? Why or why not?
Yes they have, I think that I've learned a lot about the positive effects of having technology in a classroom and a lot of new tools that can be used in classrooms. I think that technology should definitely be integrated in education, in moderation. I think that teachers should be using technology, but also still teach, I don't think teachers should teach their whole class with technology. Teachers should still interact with their students, but I think technology is a great resource! Students can learn many things from technology that they cannot learn from their teachers, but that statement goes both ways.

2. Identify one or more programs/web apps introduced this term you believe you'll use in your future classroom. Why will you use these programs/apps?
I think that I will definitely us bubbl.us not only for my students, but also for the rest of my college education career. I also really liked wordle. I think that this is a cool tool that can be incorporated into multiple projects and different tasks. Another site that I will use in the future is Story Jumper I thought that this site was really great for students and allows for many different assignments, or just for a fun free time activity. Print Page in IE

What Changes Must be Made in K-12 Schools Before Educators Can Fully Integrate and Utilize Technology?

Collection of words using the cool tool: Wordle Print Page in IE

TrackStar Music

Morton Subotnick's Creating Music

• What are two ways the site could be used in the classroom?
• How could the site be used to extend learning opportunities beyond the classroom?

This site could be used in the classroom to encourage students to explore and learn more about music. Students can create their own music, as well as learn about different pitches and they are able to hear the music they are creating as well as examples. There are many parts of the site that the teacher could introduce to the classroom as a whole and then let the students explore on their own and learn about different topics and components of music. Some parts of the site have students pushing buttons on the keyboard to further explore the task. There is a part of the site "Playing with Beethoven" which allows the class to be introduced to an instrumental person in subject of music. The main reason for using this site in the classroom would be to introduce the site to the students and then let them explore on their own.

 

Students are encouraged to explore as well as learn through games and puzzles. This can be used beyond the classroom, because students are not only learning how to use this technology associated with music, but also they are learning. Some of the games have different levels of difficulty, allowing a challenge for those that may need it, as well as a basic level for the students just learning. There are programs and CDs available to purchase that can further their education as well as extend their learning to home. The playing with scales link is great for students to explore out of class as well as learn about the different sounds that different instruments make. By introducing this site as a teacher, one can spark the interest of students to learn and explore more about music and the many instruments used to create it. Print Page in IE

Project Based Learning

• Why did you choose this project as your favorite of the six? Identify specific aspects that appeal to you.
• Which higher-level thinking skills (from Bloom's Taxonomy) does the project utilize?
• What (if anything) about the project could be improved?

My favorite project out of the six was My Healthy Self Project. I really liked how the elementary students spent a fair amount of time learning about what healthy means looked liked and consisted of. The students were able to get advise from experts (pediatrician, yoga instructor, massage therapist, psychiatrist) as well as watch each of them give a presentation on what healthy looked like in their individual fields. When the pediatrician came, the students were able to see what a normal physical for a child their age would look like.

This project engaged both students and their parents and the students learned what a healthy meal should look like, as well as healthy exercises for each one of them to do. Ultimately, students used the highest point of Bloom's Taxonomy in that they had to evaluate what the healthy looked like for them. The teacher posted that after the students completed the project, they were all very conscious about packing lunches from home, and making sure that their lunch from home was nutritionally balanced. They had the knowledge to make the right decision when it came to applying healthy food to their everyday lives. Students also learned great ways for them to each get enough exercise each day, and the teacher challenged them to think of ways that they give both their body and brain exercise each day. Students also used synthesis in the end of their project when they opened up their state of the art wellness center, which put together all of the knowledge the students learned throughout the project and used this knowledge to open up this center in their classroom for parents and the community to use.

I don't think that I would change much to this project if I were to incorporate this project based learning project into my classroom. I really like how the students get to see experts, and ask them for advise as well as learn the basics to nutrition and what to look for when buying food or packing lunches. The students learn a lot about what it means to be healthy and get the right amount of energy and this project proved to be successful when the students began applying their knowledge to health to their everyday life.

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Connecting Telecollaboration and Bloom's Taxonomy

How do quality telecollaborative projects develop students’ critical thinking skills (the highest levels on the Bloom’s Taxonomy pyramid)? Provide specific examples and reference both articles from your Oct. 12th reading assignment in your answer.

Telecollaborative projects develop students' critical thinking skills in many ways by allowing students to gather information or analyze information and evaluate them. Telecollaborative projects can be used to work through all of the levels in Bloom's Taxonomy pyramid starting with knowledge and working up to an evaluation. "Commonly Asked Questions about Teaching Collaborative Activities" by Penn State, states that telecollaborative projects don't necessarily have to be collaborative, if the task is reasonable and doable for one person, then each student can be assigned to work individually. If it is decided that the telecollaborative project is indeed collaborative with other students, then there are certain ways teachers can organize the group for the project. Penn State's article gives teachers ways to organize groups in a way where there is no group where all of the students from the class with the highest grades are together, in other words, it is very wise for the teacher to assign students to groups ahead of time before introducing the project. Telecollaborative projects that engage students, whether it is a student to student connection, or classroom to classroom connection, it is important that the project really engages students and gets them to think on higher levels and relate what they are learning to skills they will need in the future. Telecollaborative projects are great in the sense that they are out of the classroom norm. In the past schools have almost always been teacher to student, but with Internet tools like Skype, students can video chat with other students anywhere in the world. Telecollaborative projects are ultimately great for teaching students a numerous amount of lessons as well as really engaging students and getting them to think on higher levels. Print Page in IE

My Technology Past, Present, and Future

1) TECH PAST

• Briefly describe your previous experiences with computers in the classroom during your own K-12 education.

In the past, my use of technology was fairly limited. In elementary school I learned the basics of computers, how to make a word document, and how to use the Internet. We only actually had access to computers on average about once a week, or whenever our teacher could find a time to sign our class up for the computer lab.

2) TECH PRESENT

• Describe your current ideas for integrating technology into your future classroom (indicate grade level and/or content area). Specify the purpose(s) of the technology and how the students and/or you will use it. 

Presently, I would try to use technology as much as I could in my curriculum. I would try to teach the students the basics as well the current tools of technology. For first or second grade technology use, I would make a class webpage, or blog for both students and parents to access. This page or blog would have important notices for the parents as well as the weekly homework. I would also try to incorporate an assignment on the websit or blog for the students as well. The Internet would be a major key to incorporating technology into my classroom.

3) TECH FUTURE

• Based on the assigned readings (for Sept. 30th) and your own experiences, what do you anticipate being most challenging about using technology in the classroom?

Ideally in the future, each student would have the opportunity to posses their own laptop which would ultimately give them endless possiblities for an education rich in technology. By having their own laptop or computer, the students would be able to learn more as well as learn how to present information in a different, but technological way. Students would learn valuable technology skills that they will ultimately need throughout their education and their future occupation. Print Page in IE

Avatars in Education

How can avatars be used to support instruction and/or enhance communication?

We can use avatars in education, to encourage different types of learning. Allowing the children to use and explore technology in the classroom through avatars can help students gain valuable skills in technology that will help them throughout the rest of their education. Not only are the avatars fun for the kids, but can help them learn through a technological way! Print Page in IE