This week is the second last week of school We only have 6 days left before we depart for student teaching, and I am so excited! I can't wait to be done classes, but we had more presentations this week and they were interesting!
Video conferencing was the first up this week. They talked about Skype and showed us how to use it. This was good because I have never used Skype, but now I actually know how to use it! I think it's a great tool for guest speakers who can't come into the school. This could lead to a greater variety of presenters, which is excellent! I also didn't know about that you could share files and show the screen that they are on. If they are having issues with a project or something on their computer, instead of sending the file, they can just show you the screen! I also like how the students would be able to leave a voicemail if they had a question. The second thing they talked about was Elluminate. We saw this with Alec Courous earlier in the term, but it was interesting to see it from the perspective of the creator. I like how the moderator and the students can modify the white board. This could allow collaborative work at large distances. I think Alec Courous was in Regina, Saskatchewan! I like the idea of the students being able to take notes about the presentations! Well done guys!!
Next up was "The good bad and the ugly of the internet:"
Bad:
Unreliable Sites : I think we need to teach students how to figure out which sites are good and which are bad.
Viruses : always a threat for schools, especially when filtering and blocking are not in place.
Personal Contact : I agree that the internet is having an impact on our social skills in face-to-face situations. These skills are something that we need to teach students in our classes.
Copyright Infringement : Teachers must emphasize the importance of citing and the ill-effects of passing things off as their own when it's not.
Anyone/Anything : Anyone can post anything. There is no monitoring and some of the information and ideas they are posting can be false or harmful to other people. We have to teach students how to use information safely and how to tell the bad sites from the good ones.
Good:
Instant Messaging : Can contact people in all parts of the world. Gain information that otherwise would have been unavailable. Blogs, Skype, Webcams, Facebook, etc are all examples of how this is used today. Instant messaging can be difficult to keep inappropriate use to a minimum, but I guess that's the teacher's job!
Information : Information can be found about anything and this can be a really useful tool for teachers and students as well!
Distance Education : Access for all! Good education for all students and courses that they could not take before, they are able to take!
Teacher Resources : Again, we can find anything on the web, and the internet is such a great tool to use. It makes teachers lives less hectic and crazy! Something we all can appreciate.
(atozteacherstuff.com, etc.)
Teacher networking : Teacher support over the internet is great. Sometimes teachers need help, and they can send out a call for help on their network, and tons of people will reply.
The next up was Video games in the classroom. It's a great idea for some courses, but I think there are very few games to teach biology! Someone should invent that...*hint hint*
Ok, so sorry to make this blog longer, but I almost forgot about today! Today we had Darren Kuropatwa and another guy and I can't remember his name right now! But they came to talk to our class today about technology...no kidding! Darren talked today about technological literacy. I thought it was interesting that he said we shouldn't be teaching kids literacy, but fluency. Technological fluency is competency with today's tools and using them with new technologies tomorrow. I thought that was a good distinction. Our tools evolve way faster than our culture and we need to be sure that our kids can extrapolate their skills to future endeavors. That was the thing that stuck out most for me!
The other guy (still can't remember his name) talked about neat things you can do with your cell phone in class. He showed us a program called iPadio where you can call a number and record a call. You can then attach it as an mp3 to a website OR transcribe the call into words. This would be a good program for children with special needs. If they could take the phone call and have it transcribed into notes for them.
The only thing I wanted to see was HOW to use these interesting technologies in my classroom. I have found with a lot of the presenters, they tell us all about a program, but don't really tell us how to use it in the classroom, because goodness knows, I don't know how!!
That is really enough for now, so blog you later!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
And the presentations begin!
Okay, I am going to attempt to make this blog non-intense. I will cut down on the length for you guys!
Today we started the presentations. I really enjoyed the presentation about cyber-bullying. It was very informative and it made me think of ways that I could combat cyber-bullying in my classroom. Of course, there is not much we can do but offer support to the students when they are bullied and report any incidences to administration.
The presentation on filtering also made me think. I really believe that someone needs to figure out a better way of keeping students safe on the internet but meanwhile allowing adequate access to the websites that the students need. I personally think that the best way to teach kids to be self-sufficient on the internet is to take off all the filters and teach them how to be safe on the internet.
Our presentation was about the world wide web and the internet. Yes, they are different things! I did not know that until I started doing research for this presentation. The www is a sub-section of the Internet. The internet is the means by which people can connect on the web. It was a bit confusing at first, but Joaney found the "bus" analogy. The internet is like the bus and the world wide web is like the people on the bus. They are always getting on and off and moving around. I found this really interesting picture that illustrates the web quite well, and it's also very pretty!
Anyway, there was no class on Monday, so that's about all I have to talk about for now!
See you next time and thanks for reading!
Today we started the presentations. I really enjoyed the presentation about cyber-bullying. It was very informative and it made me think of ways that I could combat cyber-bullying in my classroom. Of course, there is not much we can do but offer support to the students when they are bullied and report any incidences to administration.
The presentation on filtering also made me think. I really believe that someone needs to figure out a better way of keeping students safe on the internet but meanwhile allowing adequate access to the websites that the students need. I personally think that the best way to teach kids to be self-sufficient on the internet is to take off all the filters and teach them how to be safe on the internet.
Our presentation was about the world wide web and the internet. Yes, they are different things! I did not know that until I started doing research for this presentation. The www is a sub-section of the Internet. The internet is the means by which people can connect on the web. It was a bit confusing at first, but Joaney found the "bus" analogy. The internet is like the bus and the world wide web is like the people on the bus. They are always getting on and off and moving around. I found this really interesting picture that illustrates the web quite well, and it's also very pretty!
Anyway, there was no class on Monday, so that's about all I have to talk about for now!
See you next time and thanks for reading!
Monday, February 15, 2010
The week before Valentine's day...
Okay, before I begin, I apologize to whoever was supposed to comment on my blog. I didn't have internet this weekend!
This week we had a nice Monday off! Wednesday we had Mike in our class, and we talked about the Alan November video that we were supposed to watch. Personally, I found the video entertaining and interesting, but a bit distracting. Mr. November was cooking lobster for the whole video! He was shopping for them, prepping them, cooking them and serving them while he was talking about technology in education. I thought it was a bit weird. Anyway, about the video...
Alan November talks about three "Myths" people believe about technology. I found these the most interesting part of the video, because I agree with Mr. November.
First Myth: Technology is an equalizer of society
Everyone seems to agree with this, but to me, (and Alan November) it is polarizing society. The people with access to technology are using it to their advantage and the people without access are following along behind those with the resources to attain this level of technology. I think this is not only happening in society in general, but also in schools. People keep telling us to begin to use technology in schools, but maybe every student doesn't have access to that technology. Not every kid in our classes are going to have an ipod or even a computer at home that is sufficient for them to view videos and do some of the work required for classes. Some might say "let them use the school computer labs!" Really, those are no different. Everything is blocked on them, they are slow, inefficient and difficult for teachers to book for the students to use!
Second Myth: People can use the web to get diverse ideas from around the world
Alan November says that many people are using the internet to get their version of the truth only, not others' opinions on certain matters. This leads people to believe they are correct in their views, even if they are not. I think using the web in this way requires critical thinking skills. These can be cultured with education! Many school divisions are emphasizing critical thinking in their schools. As teachers, we need to teach the students how to find varying opinions on subject matter and to make an informed decision about what they are viewing. I know I use the internet for this, I actually look for people that disagree with what I think, and use my thinking skills to determine if they have valid points or not. I enjoy seeing others' opinions and views on certain subject matter, and viewing their arguments for or against something. It is a way for me to keep my mind sharp! ;) I know, I'm a nerd!
Third Myth: Technology makes kids smarter
I think this is a ridiculous assumption! Nothing makes kids smarter except learning. Using technology does not automatically mean that a person is learning. Alan November thinks that technology is a distraction for many kids, and I agree (to an extent). He says that there is a rise of plaigarism because students want to get things done fast. I agree with this. Students are very motivated by instant gratification. They want to know an answer now, and don't want to search for it themselves, or to work for it to find the answer. I think technology is moving education backward a bit, especially if it is not being used or taught properly. As I mentioned above, this is also allowing students to neglect their critical thinking skills and rely on machines for answers that they could have figured out on their own.
At the request of some people in the class who have had to read my blog previously, I will stop here. Apparently my blogs are "too intense" (ie. too long).
Have a nice short week!!
This week we had a nice Monday off! Wednesday we had Mike in our class, and we talked about the Alan November video that we were supposed to watch. Personally, I found the video entertaining and interesting, but a bit distracting. Mr. November was cooking lobster for the whole video! He was shopping for them, prepping them, cooking them and serving them while he was talking about technology in education. I thought it was a bit weird. Anyway, about the video...
Alan November talks about three "Myths" people believe about technology. I found these the most interesting part of the video, because I agree with Mr. November.
First Myth: Technology is an equalizer of society
Everyone seems to agree with this, but to me, (and Alan November) it is polarizing society. The people with access to technology are using it to their advantage and the people without access are following along behind those with the resources to attain this level of technology. I think this is not only happening in society in general, but also in schools. People keep telling us to begin to use technology in schools, but maybe every student doesn't have access to that technology. Not every kid in our classes are going to have an ipod or even a computer at home that is sufficient for them to view videos and do some of the work required for classes. Some might say "let them use the school computer labs!" Really, those are no different. Everything is blocked on them, they are slow, inefficient and difficult for teachers to book for the students to use!
Second Myth: People can use the web to get diverse ideas from around the world
Alan November says that many people are using the internet to get their version of the truth only, not others' opinions on certain matters. This leads people to believe they are correct in their views, even if they are not. I think using the web in this way requires critical thinking skills. These can be cultured with education! Many school divisions are emphasizing critical thinking in their schools. As teachers, we need to teach the students how to find varying opinions on subject matter and to make an informed decision about what they are viewing. I know I use the internet for this, I actually look for people that disagree with what I think, and use my thinking skills to determine if they have valid points or not. I enjoy seeing others' opinions and views on certain subject matter, and viewing their arguments for or against something. It is a way for me to keep my mind sharp! ;) I know, I'm a nerd!
Third Myth: Technology makes kids smarter
I think this is a ridiculous assumption! Nothing makes kids smarter except learning. Using technology does not automatically mean that a person is learning. Alan November thinks that technology is a distraction for many kids, and I agree (to an extent). He says that there is a rise of plaigarism because students want to get things done fast. I agree with this. Students are very motivated by instant gratification. They want to know an answer now, and don't want to search for it themselves, or to work for it to find the answer. I think technology is moving education backward a bit, especially if it is not being used or taught properly. As I mentioned above, this is also allowing students to neglect their critical thinking skills and rely on machines for answers that they could have figured out on their own.
At the request of some people in the class who have had to read my blog previously, I will stop here. Apparently my blogs are "too intense" (ie. too long).
Have a nice short week!!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
TWAS...This Week At School (In Internet for Educators)
Howard Griffith and Donald Girouard:
Web-based courses
-I like how the online classes can be asynchronous. This is a really great asset to students who might work and sometimes are unable to come to school during school hours. I know I had many students who wanted to leave early from class because of work hours. This could be used for those types of students and they can work on their own time.
-I also liked how the pedagogy was built into the courses. These people are the experts and they have done all the work for us! I think it would take some personalization on the part of the teachers, but since it is so well set up, it would be fairly easy to use. The lessons are modular and should follow in a simple sequence. There are lessons, assessments, activities and worksheets available in the packages from the Manitoba Education website.
-I love how in this program you can create announcements as popups, that way no one can say that they did not know about something! This is such a neat way of teaching and a great resource, even if the course is not web-based!
Shawn Kleebaum:
Google Applications
-Google apps education account: allows schools or divisions to use custom domain names with several google products: gmail, google, calendar, docs, sites. It is free!
-Division does not have to worry about email, maintenance, nothing to install, data is safe and secure, etc. Surely the divisions would be ok with this, no money on their part, no time on their part, etc. I think this would be a good thing for the school divisions!
-No advertising in the google education accounts. That is really nice, because sometimes there are really inappropriate ads on internet sites, that students should not see!
-Schools can not control all the email, etc. If the division likes to control, you might not be able to use it in blocked schools. All the divisions I have been in have EVERYTHING blocked. I had to think of some really creative ways to get around the blocks to use technology in my classroom!
-Downfall: applications are not as full featured as desktop applications, but that is not a big deal for me, for my purposes, it seems like the google apps will be fine for me!
-American server...data is stored in the US, so if you say something on here, the US has right to look at the data and it could cause a problem for them crossing the border, etc. I really think that this should not be an issue in classrooms because the content should be monitored by the teacher. Especially since it is a collaborative kind of thing.
-If the internet is down or google goes down, you can not access some of your documents, etc. This would probably not be as much of a problem for me, because I plan very far in advance, and I seem to be able to think fast on my feet.
-This is a neat program to be able to share things with the students! Documents can be edited by students, students can subscribe to the calendar, so they always know what is due and where the class is going!
-Students can hand things in electronically, and teachers can do marking wherever they are! This would be very convenient, and it also teaches the students to use the internet when they make their own google site!
This was a very interesting presentation, and it was much easier to see the influence it can have on the classroom, he really brought the technology back to the classroom. Great presentation!
Web-based courses
-I like how the online classes can be asynchronous. This is a really great asset to students who might work and sometimes are unable to come to school during school hours. I know I had many students who wanted to leave early from class because of work hours. This could be used for those types of students and they can work on their own time.
-I also liked how the pedagogy was built into the courses. These people are the experts and they have done all the work for us! I think it would take some personalization on the part of the teachers, but since it is so well set up, it would be fairly easy to use. The lessons are modular and should follow in a simple sequence. There are lessons, assessments, activities and worksheets available in the packages from the Manitoba Education website.
-I love how in this program you can create announcements as popups, that way no one can say that they did not know about something! This is such a neat way of teaching and a great resource, even if the course is not web-based!
Shawn Kleebaum:
Google Applications
-Google apps education account: allows schools or divisions to use custom domain names with several google products: gmail, google, calendar, docs, sites. It is free!
-Division does not have to worry about email, maintenance, nothing to install, data is safe and secure, etc. Surely the divisions would be ok with this, no money on their part, no time on their part, etc. I think this would be a good thing for the school divisions!
-No advertising in the google education accounts. That is really nice, because sometimes there are really inappropriate ads on internet sites, that students should not see!
-Schools can not control all the email, etc. If the division likes to control, you might not be able to use it in blocked schools. All the divisions I have been in have EVERYTHING blocked. I had to think of some really creative ways to get around the blocks to use technology in my classroom!
-Downfall: applications are not as full featured as desktop applications, but that is not a big deal for me, for my purposes, it seems like the google apps will be fine for me!
-American server...data is stored in the US, so if you say something on here, the US has right to look at the data and it could cause a problem for them crossing the border, etc. I really think that this should not be an issue in classrooms because the content should be monitored by the teacher. Especially since it is a collaborative kind of thing.
-If the internet is down or google goes down, you can not access some of your documents, etc. This would probably not be as much of a problem for me, because I plan very far in advance, and I seem to be able to think fast on my feet.
-This is a neat program to be able to share things with the students! Documents can be edited by students, students can subscribe to the calendar, so they always know what is due and where the class is going!
-Students can hand things in electronically, and teachers can do marking wherever they are! This would be very convenient, and it also teaches the students to use the internet when they make their own google site!
This was a very interesting presentation, and it was much easier to see the influence it can have on the classroom, he really brought the technology back to the classroom. Great presentation!
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