Finale

Well, it looks like this is my final post of this Technology class. Time has flown by and it is time to end yer another semester and another set of classes. I can definitely say this semester had been an adventure, especially all my encounters in this class. I can admit with no shame I belong in the stone age with no technology so this class has been a struggle to say the least. My parents are both technology-challenged so I have never had any motivation to explore the wonderful programs and softwares computers have to offer. I have had my frustrations but I certainly think
I am leaving this class better prepared than I imagined.

I have experienced wikis, blogs, digital diagrams, digital storyboards, flipcharts and learned the ethics of copyright for the first time. I can truly say I did not have much prior knowledge coming into this course. I would have to say that my facorite project of all was most likely the digital diagram. It was simple to put together and was something I could definitiely see myself using in my classroom. Some of the projects I found very intersting, but overly complicated to prepare for my classroom (such as the flipchart). Nonethesless I am glad I learned the program because it just might become handy in the future.

I think one of the most important things of all I learned was how to create a website. I can now say I am the proud owner of my own site! With the world arouns us constantly oriented toward anything technological, I might as well join the gang and have a website as a ready resource for my students. I want to keep it updated and constantly be adding new resource sites for my students to check out.

Well, my time in this class has now come to a close, but I can say with confidence that my time spent with technology is not over! I look forward to incorporating much of my learning within my classroom and am excited to see what other technology-baed programs are out there that I have yet to explore!

Digital Story-I-Movie

Hello Everyone! This week I'm going to share with you my experience with digital story through the program IMovie. This project appealed to me because it seemed as if it took a very technologically skilled person to create digital story, and I was excited at the chance to learn and be on there same level. I had trouble choosing a topic because naturally I wanted to pick something fun and entertaining rather than educational. After changing my mind at least 10 times about the topic, I decided on using the theme "American Holidays." One part of being a History major for me is learning the culture and historical aspects found all around the world, but my favorite part of Histiory is learning about America. So you can say I am very patriotic. I picked this topic simply to employ some patriotism to younger students and give them awareness of a variety of different holidays found in the great United States of America. Students are introduced to months in Kindergarten so I think it would be okay to introduce holidays in Kindergarten as well or maybe even First grade and talk a little bit about what they mean and why they are holidays.

The process towards creating a digital story was actually easier than I thought it would be (or perhaps I am actually getting better at using technology). Regardless, I enjoyed the process once I was able to practice moving pictures around, locate movie features, and sift through music choices. I believe that this can be made into a simple process and an engaging tool to place in the classroom. I can see myself introducing a topic with a brief 3-4 minute movie. I think it is a new way to grab students attention and leaves traditional and sometimes boring activities behind. I felt very technologically advanced doing this project and can see myself putting more movies together in the future.

Diagrams, Maps, and Webs

Hello! So, I think Inspiration 9 was a great program to use. First of all, it was easy and fast. This is the type of program that I need in my classroom! It did not contain a million features for me to figure out and learn the secretes to. It had the basics and also had a few settings such as colors, patterns, fonts, sizes if we wanted to spice it up a bit. I think it is a great tool because it can be an activity that only takes thirty minutes to prepare and is an effective way of summarizing information into main points. I thought it was only challenging when I was deciding on the topic and how to pick the most important information for the organizer. Once I understand the Tennessee standards and what is taught in each grade, I am sure I would find this activity even easier. Overall, I really liked this project and can see myself investing in this program for my own computer.

IWB

Hello everyone! Today I want to share with you my experiences with Interactive whiteboards and the flip chart I created. I started off being frustrated at this project due to the fact that there was so many new things I had not yet been introduced to. The technique to download the program confused me to no end! However, everything worked out and I was able to play around with my creation for a long time and tweak it.

I enjoyed creating a flip chart and making it interactive because it becomes evident as to why students would like it. The traditional way to learn Science is by reading from a textbook and answering the questions from the end of the chapter. My flip chart shows that there is more to Science and a topic such as the Solar System can come to life in a technological way. Hands on activities are ideal for Science lessons, but this is a good way to review and assess if students have learned because it becomes very obvious as to whether they are able to fill in the blanks or sort planets in the correct order.

I did face a few challenged in creating the flip chart. I found it extremely time consuming and it made me worry that I would not have that kind of time during the school year in my classroom. I understand it would become easier with time and practice, yet it does take some thought and extra time to make it just right. I also found it challenging to incorporate gadgets within the pages. They were often complicated to move around and set just right for the intended effect. Overall, I did enjoy the assignment, but I am not too sure how often I would use it in my classroom.

Smartboards & ActivInspire

Hello everyone! Today I wanted to address interactive whiteboard and the program ActivInspire. These interactive whiteboards, or Smartboards or Promethean Boards are such a fun resource for the classroom. They leave traditional pencil and paper activites of the past behind and allow students to physically engage in a way they never could before. They involve the students in learning by allowing them to use different senses such as touching and hearing. I believe they allow teachers to save time by printing less and wasting less materials that can be found on the interactive whiteboard.
The program we have just recently been introduced to, ActivInspire, is such a fantastic tool to bring to the classroom. It allows teachers to bring real world experiences into the classroom, enhancing learning. This would definitely appeal to my kinesthetic learners who constantly feel the need to physically do the activity.

As a teacher, I have so many options of how to present information with ActivInspire. I feel like I will be producing well-rounded students who will hvae the capacity to work colloboratively and solve all kinds of different types of problems and scenarios based on their interactive learning. Overall, I really like the idea of using this helpful program, and can even see myself really enjoying putting the material together in a way that would meet the needs of a wide range of students.

Digital Images

Hello everyone! This past week we explired the wonderful world of digital images. I knew the basics about digital imaging, but never realized how indepth it went! So, I feel like I have really been exposed to a variety of concepts centering around digital imaging. I've have learned the importance of copyright and how to make sure certain images are fair to use while others are prohibited. I have always heard of different image types such as jpegs, gifs, tiffs, and pngs but never truly understood the sizes and differences between them. I enjoyed the group assignment to walk around Bailey Education Complex looking for photos. It was an engaging project, and also allowed me to work with people I didn't know as well. Our theme was "opposites" so we looked for opposites in all forms. We then were able to upload the pictures to google and create a presentation for our websites. It was useful to know how I could incorporate a presentation simply onto my own class website. I think it is useful to know the art of resizing and changing the resolution of photos, as well as understanding the laws behind images in general. This could be something fun and creative to use in my classroom.

Digital Imaging- Opposites

Resource Wikis

The group project on the resource wiki was very interesting! At first I was indifferent about the assignment, but ended up really enjoying surfing the web for useful resources. The one thing I kept in mind as I was searching was if these were websites that would be applicable to my own classroom. I decided to research a few topics outside my comfort zone and knowledge base such as math and art. I did this because these sites could really help me where I lack creativity and ideas. This assignment finally gave me a comfort level toward technology, and allowed me to feel like I was capable of finding really interesting, helpful, anf fun websites to enhance learning in my classroom.
 My one dislike was the need to rely on other group members to pull their weight, which is always the case with group work. I really have enjoyed the finished project, and exploring everyones contributions, that very well may be helpful further on in my teaching career. I can possibly see myself using this onlien resource inmy classroom, yet it would depend on the grade. If I were placed in a lower elementary classroom, I might not utilize this resource as much simply because it might be difficult to teach a bunch of kids so new to learning.

Wiki Reflection

After looking through lots of different wikis, I finally settled on one I liked it. It is the second grade class under the teacher Mrs. Ibrahim's. They are located in Southern California. Mrs. Ibrahim's class wiki page is located at http://mrsibrahim.wikispaces.com/ The first thing that caught my attention was the visual appeal and the larger font. It was created with a keen awareness of the audience. Next I really liked the set up of the contents. She lists all the subjects as well as other activities and information pages. Going further into these pages are vocabularly lists that are filled out gradually throughout the semester. The wiki also makes it user friendly for parents to view what their students have been doing. There are assignments on file that allow parents to instantly access assignments. Another thing that really stuck out to me was the "about me" page for each student, already teaching them how to use technology in a unique way. Since language arts is such a huge focus in schools, especially with CommonCore, typing in online wikis helps to address that.

A couple of things missing on the wiki I would have liked to see was upcoming events (calendar) and a supplies list. I believe adding these would have really given all the information needed within the click of a mouse. It also is environmentally friendly by saving paper on weekly reminders for upcoming school events.

Inquiry Based Activity

            Creating an inquiry based  activity was a very new and fascinating experience for me. I would have to say it has been by favorite activity in TPTE 486 thus far. The best part was researching the websites and activities I felt would most effectively teach about my topic, biomes. I picked fifth grade because I knew I could pick a more advanced subject matter that explored the world at large. Through the video clip and powerpoint I tried to give them both a visual and reading option to appeal to different kinds of learners. The review game at the end was a fun way to re-emphasize what they should have learned through the activity. I also added critical questions because I knew they are beneficial to stretch students minds passed the obvious.

           This activity helped me as a student learn how to be a teacher. I learned how I need to apply Tennessee standards to whatever activity I have in mind in order to prepare them according to Tennessee requirements. I think inquiry based activites are a good but unconventional way to supply your students with the materials they need to get but without lecturing them. It is something I can see myself employing within my own classroom. I think if I futuristically used an inquiry based activity I would add more color and pictures if possible. One thing I thought was difficult about using the activity was alignment. It proved to be tricky to align sentences exactly how I wanted, so had to actually settle for a different plan. Overall, I would want to create an inquiry based assignment again.

WebQuests

 

"Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand" (John Gay). This quote is a good indicator of why Webquests are effective. This week in TPTE class was exciting because I learned about something completely new to me and I found it intriguing! Webquests are inquiry-based tools created with the intent that learners gain their information from the internet. The word inquiry simplified means seeking information or knowledge. So, these lessons work by teachers creating lessons online through a Webquest, and students gain access to complete them by receiving their information through the web. Four specific things to ensure on your own Webquest as a teaching professional are the following: promotion of teamwork, accurate uses of  technology, promotion of high-order thinking, and lesson efficiency.

Upon viewing all kinds of Webquests,  I was excited to gain a new tool for my classroom. It seems as simple to make as a powerpoint, yet is able to specifically provide directions. One thing that stood out to me was the focus on group work. I highly value group work and believe it creates moments where character education can turn in teachable moments such as teaching the responsibility each student has as a member of a group. I also like that as a teacher, I have the option to be creative or really simple and instructive when creating my own Webquests. Because I am a History major, I really enjoy social studies content so I looked through various lessons provided and was intrigued by the array of different ideas. I only worry about using these inquiry-based lessons if I am placed at a Title 1 school with kids who might not necessarily have easy access to the web. Overall, I really like Webquests and think they could be a creative and nontraditional new way to teach a lesson.

Website Evaluation

Evaluating websites is not a completely new phenomenon to me, yet there are still many things I discovered through this activity. I understand the reliability factor. I knew I must locate an author or authors and their profession and experience. By identifying these traits I am able to deduce bias and subjective opinions often hidden in text. There were many new and enlightening things the activity asked me to evaluate. I then learned the importance of assessing a site in the right manner so that my students would have useful information and the ability to navigate a website with ease.
 

 

One thing I instantly learned was important was whether the website required additional software such as Flashplayer. This was important to me, because on my own personal four year old laptop, I cannot use certain softwares that allow animation and video. This is useful to spot when assigning homework online. I also learned organization and manuverability is extremely important, especially for computer novices. If items are cluttered and not consistent throughout the site, exploration can be difficult and not to mention, frustrating. It is important to make sure wording and font are clear and readable, especially for users that may have sight difficulties. The same thing goes for games or activities that require sound. In order to expect visitors to come back, audio must be in good working order with no interruptions, especially for students or adult who lack the capacity to hear well. So, overall I learned a great deal of how to properly assess whether a website is useful, organized, and accurate!

Wikis

Now that I have learned first what wikis are, and secondly what they can do, I now see the posible uses for them in a classroom setting. After researching, I have found many ways that would be useful to me, and that I might want to try out in my class.

1. Using a wiki to solve math problems/equations
This space could be used to ask peers hw questions since students often get stuck on math problems and find themselves using google. I could drop hints if I see an equation causing big issues.

2. Study Guide/Review
This space could be used for students to share their thoughts, ideas, and notes about test materials. They could study together essentially to help each other do their best.

3. FAQ
I like the idea of having a wiki for questions to me, about class, or about life. This could be our own communication without e-mail, and could be useful for future classes.

4. Class Calendar
This could be used as a reminder of weekly or monthly activities going on at school and in the class for those who are not adept at keeping planners. I would also encourage students to add their own events, making a personable environment.

5. Reader/Teacher Guide
I would ask students for feedback on this page. I would want to know their favorite readings, faavorite activities, and favorite projects. In a way, this would evaluate me and help me build on my weaknesses or the things I missed.
       
Just as was mentioned in class, with assigning wikis, I would need to ensure that instructions would be very clear and structured. Most of these ideas I had in mind for a fifth grade classroom. I believe at this age they would have definitely been exposed to a computer and would most likely know how to access the Internet without difficulty.

Introduction & Expectations

Hi! My name is Meagan Arand and I am a senior at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. I am in the Teacher Education program in the Roane County Cohort. I am currently observing in a fourth grade classroom at A. L. Lotts and it has been very interesting! I spend most of my time studying, but enjoy working, sleeping, eating, and any physical activity!


My main expectation for this class is to gain a firm understanding of the technological options at my disposal as a future teacher. I really was so unaware that I could so easily learn how to create a website, wiki, and blog. I hope to learn all of the programs and about all the webpages I have avoided for so long. I want to be competent and knowledgeable about computer uses by the end of the semester. I want to understand fully how to make a website look professional, as it will be an important resource for me in the near future. I also want to learn and understand different ways that I can implement these resources in my classroom.