Friday, March 6, 2015
Prompt #10
Chapter nine discusses math concepts, but I feel the resources mentioned in this chapter can be used for any subject. The chapter went into a lot of detail about blogging. From a math stand point it suggested posting a math problem and having the students create a similar problem. Then the students would have to evaluate another student's post. Another example the chapter gave was posting a problem and asking why something is the way it is. This would allow the students to explain how they came to a particular conclusion. I think both of these are great ways to get students thinking and working with other students. I would definitely consider doing one if not both of these in my classroom. Blogging allows students to demonstrate their understanding of the material. Penzu was mentioned in this chapter and was said to be an online journal for the classroom. Blogger is always another great option. Podcasting was another subject matter in this chapter. I love podcasting and feel that it can be great for the classroom. Students are active learners, so this is a great non- traditional way of learning. It is also great to have a classroom website, so a Wiki would be perfect. This would allow students and parents to be very involved in the whole learning process.
Prompt #9
Issue #3: Podcasting- Should Podcasts Replace Lectures?
I do think that podcasts should replaces lectures. This would benefit the teacher and their students. Teachers are always looking for time in their classroom to have conversations, to cover interesting content, and to help students understand the material. Podcasting would provide more free time in the classroom to accomplish this. With podcasting students have the option to watch the podcast at their leisure and can pause and rewind if they miss something. This allows each student to go at their own pace and fully understand what is being taught. I am a daydreamer, so my mind is constantly wondering and I am always thinking about other things, which leads to me not paying attention. I know this is very common and causes students to not know what is going on or miss something very important. This is why I think podcasting is a great solution. Students can easily go back and listen and see something again if they are lost and/or confused. All of this time used at home allows for a deeper and more hands on approach in the classroom.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Prompt #8
The issue I wish to discuss is #6: student attention spans in a digital world. Honestly, I do believe that technology has shortened our attention spans substantially. Although, I also believe that students have become pretty good at multi-tasking in order to accomplish a task. Do I think that they will accomplish the task at hand to the best of their abilities? No, but students in our technology age do enough work to get by.
Technology has definitely affected our attention spans, but I do not think a consensus can be made across the board as to whether it is a positive or negative effect. Some people thrive on using multiple types of technology at once. For example, I am typing up this blog, listening to music, and talking to my roommate. Typically, I focus best when I am not distracted, but I have learned to function at a level that allows me to complete my assignment. I believe that this balancing act can also be applied in a classroom: students are able to focus enough to get a task accomplished. However, I do not think that their attention spans allow them to create their best work. We have become used to distracting ourselves so easily with Facebook, cell phones, TV, etc. This does concern me for my students' sake because I want to see their best work in and out of the classroom. I worry that too many distractions detract from their schoolwork and from their development of their mathematical maturity. If they do not take it seriously, I cannot expect them to truly learn the material.
I suppose that students will get either better at sorting through distractions or it will get worse, leading them to succumb to technological distractions.
Technology has definitely affected our attention spans, but I do not think a consensus can be made across the board as to whether it is a positive or negative effect. Some people thrive on using multiple types of technology at once. For example, I am typing up this blog, listening to music, and talking to my roommate. Typically, I focus best when I am not distracted, but I have learned to function at a level that allows me to complete my assignment. I believe that this balancing act can also be applied in a classroom: students are able to focus enough to get a task accomplished. However, I do not think that their attention spans allow them to create their best work. We have become used to distracting ourselves so easily with Facebook, cell phones, TV, etc. This does concern me for my students' sake because I want to see their best work in and out of the classroom. I worry that too many distractions detract from their schoolwork and from their development of their mathematical maturity. If they do not take it seriously, I cannot expect them to truly learn the material.
I suppose that students will get either better at sorting through distractions or it will get worse, leading them to succumb to technological distractions.
Prompt #7
The Wayne Gretzky principle basically explains that teachers should ultimately be working for their students, accommodating the classroom and the use of technology for them, not because it is easier for the teacher. I truly believe in what this principle says, and I am excited to incorporate technology into my classroom that is in accordance with the principle.
One piece of technology that I would love to use is blogging. In mathematics, most students are not used to writing about mathematics. However, I firmly believe that writing about the material will push the students' mental boundaries. I would give them a prompt to write on, and this is a reflective practice that would hopefully reinforce what they have learned. Blogging will not be the easiest thing for me to grade because online blogs for all of my students sounds like a tedious task, but I understand that it is well worth their time to truly understand the material, the vocabulary, and problems.
Something else I would want to try that is in accordance with the Gretzky principle is a different style of lesson where the teacher records himself/herself teaching a lesson and the students have to watch these videos for homework. When they come to class the next day, other students can help them clarify what the teacher explained and the rest of the time is spent working on practice problems/applications. I believe that this use of technology is very innovative and makes class time very useful. Ultimately, I will do trial and error to see what is best for my students.
One piece of technology that I would love to use is blogging. In mathematics, most students are not used to writing about mathematics. However, I firmly believe that writing about the material will push the students' mental boundaries. I would give them a prompt to write on, and this is a reflective practice that would hopefully reinforce what they have learned. Blogging will not be the easiest thing for me to grade because online blogs for all of my students sounds like a tedious task, but I understand that it is well worth their time to truly understand the material, the vocabulary, and problems.
Something else I would want to try that is in accordance with the Gretzky principle is a different style of lesson where the teacher records himself/herself teaching a lesson and the students have to watch these videos for homework. When they come to class the next day, other students can help them clarify what the teacher explained and the rest of the time is spent working on practice problems/applications. I believe that this use of technology is very innovative and makes class time very useful. Ultimately, I will do trial and error to see what is best for my students.
Prompt #6
The classroom environment is always changing. From best practices to technology, educators are always trying to change with the times and adapt to new situations. I personally have witnessed how technology has changed in the classroom.
When I started school, we would get so excited when the teacher would roll in the TV cart. A bulky TV and VHS player really excited students back then, but in classrooms nowadays this would almost seem foreign to the students in modern day classrooms. Another piece of technology we used was the projector. It was used to put notes and examples on the board that were projected from the teachers notes. This is certainly something they don't use in classrooms very often nowadays. These few pieces of technology I have mentioned, and many more, can now be completed using only one piece of technology. The Smart Board can do just about anything a teacher would want or need to do. All of the capabilities that it can do in one classroom seems to quadruple the capabilities I had in school with 4 or 5 pieces of technology. It is astounding at the rate in which technology is advancing, so things in the classroom are always going to be changing.
When I started school, we would get so excited when the teacher would roll in the TV cart. A bulky TV and VHS player really excited students back then, but in classrooms nowadays this would almost seem foreign to the students in modern day classrooms. Another piece of technology we used was the projector. It was used to put notes and examples on the board that were projected from the teachers notes. This is certainly something they don't use in classrooms very often nowadays. These few pieces of technology I have mentioned, and many more, can now be completed using only one piece of technology. The Smart Board can do just about anything a teacher would want or need to do. All of the capabilities that it can do in one classroom seems to quadruple the capabilities I had in school with 4 or 5 pieces of technology. It is astounding at the rate in which technology is advancing, so things in the classroom are always going to be changing.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Prompt #5
Integrating technology in my classroom is going to be very important. In the world we love in, technology is only going to keep improving, and be more and more vital to every day life. Students now will have to be prepared for future jobs and careers that are centered around pieces of technology that haven't been invented yet, so technology is becoming vital to teach in the classroom.
I want to be able to have my students learn on technology. I will do my best to have my children use computers and other technology to assist them in learning, and have them share what they have learned with other students through their technology. I want to use technology in a multitude of ways in order to reach all of my students, so I will try to have them use technology can connect them to places all around the world in order for them to meet all 5 standards and become well rounded people. As an educator, my responsibility is to help mold the lives of my students and prepare them to succeed in the future. I want to accomplish this using technology, so that they are prepared to succeed in a technological future.
I want to be able to have my students learn on technology. I will do my best to have my children use computers and other technology to assist them in learning, and have them share what they have learned with other students through their technology. I want to use technology in a multitude of ways in order to reach all of my students, so I will try to have them use technology can connect them to places all around the world in order for them to meet all 5 standards and become well rounded people. As an educator, my responsibility is to help mold the lives of my students and prepare them to succeed in the future. I want to accomplish this using technology, so that they are prepared to succeed in a technological future.
Prompt #4
The standards that the ISTE have put in place are a great resource for students and teachers. When it comes to technology, I think that the standards that are laid out are very practical for modern day teaching. I think applying the current roles of technology is important in order to achieve meeting the standards in order to help our students thrive. These standards help educators center their lessons around helping their students achieve certain goals, and the goals that the standards outline ae very important to the growth and development of skills that are necessary to succeed in the future. Technology can be very helpful for day-to-day life for students. For example, students can contact each other, and even create groups for studying and problem solving on social networking. These sites are very helpful when students are trying to contact other students or even past teachers for help.
To achieve the standards, it is important to integrate technology in a way that will promote learning and discovering in the classroom. It is also necessary in the way that our students must be able to use technology every day in the future, so it is important they have a platform to build their knowledge upon.
To achieve the standards, it is important to integrate technology in a way that will promote learning and discovering in the classroom. It is also necessary in the way that our students must be able to use technology every day in the future, so it is important they have a platform to build their knowledge upon.
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