This week in class we talked about virtual gaming and its place in education. We read an article and watched a youtube video about Second Life, which is a virtual world similar to The Sims. I remember playing The Sims a few times but I just could not get into it. My brother loved it though! I think that because I have a hard time getting excited about it, it would be difficult to use this in my classroom. Also being a mother of 2 little ones I don't have the time available to invest in developing a "virtual world" to use with my curriculum. I also think that with the limited time teachers have to teach each topic, this would/could be a total time waster. Students could spend a lot of time and not complete the task at hand. If I taught in an area that had a laptop program I might think about doing something that deals with the virtual world, because they have time at home to complete the work and spend as much extra time on it as they would like.
I'm all over the place on my feelings for it. Because of how involved people get in virtual worlds it becomes another gaming problem. Students will be spending more time indoors on the laptop or computer all because of an assignment that a teacher gave them!
I don't think that VR is a fad because I remember it when I was in 6th grade with a VR game at Studio 28 and it's still around. It is evolving and there are still people out there who enjoy it. As long as there is bullying, depression, etc. there will be VR. There will always be someone who wants/needs to escape the reality that they are in and VR gives them that opportunity.
-Amy Miles
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Checking out some educational technology blogs
http://www.emergingedtech.com/2011/12/education-technology-tweet-wrap-for-the-week-of-11-28-11/comment-page-1/#comment-27058
This week it was hard to find an actual blog for some reason. Lots of them I found seemed to be articles more than a blog.
This week it was hard to find an actual blog for some reason. Lots of them I found seemed to be articles more than a blog.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Curricular Integration Project
For my CIP I have chosen to do a webquest of sorts for my small group of girls that I teach for 8th grade confirmation. This webquest will include outside reading (or looking up bible verses on the Internet), video links, and websites. The final project or outcome of the webquest is for the group of girls to research and select a charity that is in need during the Christmas season. Then as a collective group we will listen to each of the girls "presentation" of their project and then select a charity to do a service project at before Christmas.
To complete the project I need to do some more research of my own and find some good links to use within the webquest. Also I am trying to decide if they will be on the "hunt" for something, if the quest will have a story line, or if it will be more of a guided project. I am also thinking about collaborating with the director of confirmation to see what tools he usually uses to teach this topic/lesson and see if I can design something that could possibly be used for all of the confirmation groups.
By doing this project I hope to learn different ways to integrate technology into the webquest while still having the learning get a significant amount of information/learning through completing it. I am also counting on being able to easily complete the webquest since I learned how to do this about 5 or 6 yrs ago in undergrad! I also want to try and use my podcasting skills within the webquest!
I feel that I can connect the learning from this project to what I will be doing in the classroom as this project is like a trial run. I can try out several different things and see what works and what doesn't. I also will learn from my small group of girls what parts they enjoyed, had trouble with or what they disliked by receiving feedback more quickly than I would in the classroom. By trying different items in the project I will also become more familiar with the tech tools that we learned in this class. (BTW-random note...we are watching the state football playoffs and they are using Google Earth to show where a city is in MI and then zooming in to show their high school!)
In the future I hope to be able to more easily integrate the tech tools that we learned through this class into my curriculum focusing on the fact that the subject matter comes first and then the technology should be there to enhance the learning experience. I have also learned that it is important to have a plan in place before you just take your class to the computer lab. In my classroom in the future we will be planning out our Internet searches before we go to the computer lab to make the time in the lab more efficient. From this project I am learning that no matter how thorough or self explanitory you make your webquest or lesson you can't just assume your students know exactly what is expected of them. So its important to show examples and go through the directions before the students get on the computer. They may have questions or come across problems that I had not anticipated.
I am excited to use what I have learned from this class and this project in my future classroom. Also to use it as a sub. I was thinking about recording some stories read by my as a podcast to play for my students when I sub if they need to listen to a story to kill some time at the end of the day (I even bought some portable Black Friday cheap speakers for this purpose!).
To complete the project I need to do some more research of my own and find some good links to use within the webquest. Also I am trying to decide if they will be on the "hunt" for something, if the quest will have a story line, or if it will be more of a guided project. I am also thinking about collaborating with the director of confirmation to see what tools he usually uses to teach this topic/lesson and see if I can design something that could possibly be used for all of the confirmation groups.
By doing this project I hope to learn different ways to integrate technology into the webquest while still having the learning get a significant amount of information/learning through completing it. I am also counting on being able to easily complete the webquest since I learned how to do this about 5 or 6 yrs ago in undergrad! I also want to try and use my podcasting skills within the webquest!
I feel that I can connect the learning from this project to what I will be doing in the classroom as this project is like a trial run. I can try out several different things and see what works and what doesn't. I also will learn from my small group of girls what parts they enjoyed, had trouble with or what they disliked by receiving feedback more quickly than I would in the classroom. By trying different items in the project I will also become more familiar with the tech tools that we learned in this class. (BTW-random note...we are watching the state football playoffs and they are using Google Earth to show where a city is in MI and then zooming in to show their high school!)
In the future I hope to be able to more easily integrate the tech tools that we learned through this class into my curriculum focusing on the fact that the subject matter comes first and then the technology should be there to enhance the learning experience. I have also learned that it is important to have a plan in place before you just take your class to the computer lab. In my classroom in the future we will be planning out our Internet searches before we go to the computer lab to make the time in the lab more efficient. From this project I am learning that no matter how thorough or self explanitory you make your webquest or lesson you can't just assume your students know exactly what is expected of them. So its important to show examples and go through the directions before the students get on the computer. They may have questions or come across problems that I had not anticipated.
I am excited to use what I have learned from this class and this project in my future classroom. Also to use it as a sub. I was thinking about recording some stories read by my as a podcast to play for my students when I sub if they need to listen to a story to kill some time at the end of the day (I even bought some portable Black Friday cheap speakers for this purpose!).
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Webquests
This week we learned about Webquests in my grad class. I remember learning about them and creating one in my undergrad technology in education class. I believe they are a great way to keep students focused and on task while using technology. It also helps to ensure that the information they are using is valid (hopefully the creator makes sure it is!). The weakness of the Webquest is that students aren't able to sift through internet sites themselves to determine what is credible information and what is just junk out there. This is a skill that students need to develop and teachers may feel that its too time consuming! Another weakness is that like anything created by us teachers it may have bias. Depending on the topic the bias may be very clear or it may be hidden. This is a problem because as teachers we want our students to develop their own thoughts and opinions based on what they learn and experience not because its what their parents, teachers, or friends believe.
http://questgarden.com/133/79/7/111022141423/index.htm
Above is the link I found for a Webquest on Climate and Weather for 7th grade.
http://questgarden.com/133/79/7/111022141423/index.htm
Above is the link I found for a Webquest on Climate and Weather for 7th grade.
Introduction. Strength is that the Intro is clear and simple. Weakness is that the webquest teaches the students a larger objective and not just how to compare and contrast weather and climate. This may cause students to discount the other information that is being presented.
A task that is doable and interesting. I think students would be interested in being a reported and videographer. The weakness is that there is a discrepancy between the Intro and the task. The Intro. says the students will travel into the future and the task speaks of traveling back in time. This is important because climate is more about the atmospheric conditions or weather over time therefor you need to look at the past to determine what the future may hold.
A process (do learners know what to do and when?). The learners know what process they are supposed to complete and what they need to do before they can move onto the next step. The only weakness is that Process 1 fails to mention the need to apply the information to the state which they selected and where to find that information. The process has a lot of different types of information for the learners to interact with.
Evaluation. Students have a rubric and questions to follow to make sure that they have included everything. The weakness is that items that are not associated with the subject matter receive more points than the science content!
A conclusion that brings closure to the quest, reminds the learners about what they've learned...Overall thoughts. The conclusion seems to tell the answers to the Intro. The weakness with this is that students could simply click ahead and use that information in their project instead of viewing the videos, songs, and reading the articles that go more in depth about the information. Having a hard time finding a strength in this part, but I suppose it would be that it takes the standard taught and makes it simple to understand.
And, lastly:
Is this a webquest you think you could use without modification in your classroom (not for the project in this class -- that should be your own creation)? What might you have to change? No I would not be able to use this webquest without modification. There are some areas that need some more attention to detail so that students get the most out of the project. It's a great idea and has good resources but the students are supposed to transfer this information they learn and apply to a state of their choice. I don't see a whole lot of guidance for the students with that transition. Some students could jump that gap but other students would have great difficulty trying to apply the new information themselves.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
METS
The standard I chose to address is:
PK-2.CC.2. use a variety of developmentally appropriate digital tools (e.g., word processors, paint programs) to communicate ideas to classmates, families, and others
I currently teach Preschool to 3 year olds where we don't have technology available in our classroom. I think the center is against using it in the classrooms for children under 3.5-4 years old. So here is what I would do to integrate it into my current curriculum if it was allowed where I worked!
Next week we will be learning about how our body grows. I would do the following activities during center times throughout the week to enhance the curriculum about how our body grows.
Literacy- Students will type their names on a word processing document that is already opened. To enhance their skills the teacher can show the students how to make a capital letter.
Math-The pictures the students "colored" on the computer will be printed, cut out and used for a sequencing activity.
Art- The students will create a self portrait using the paint studio on the computer. First they will create a self portrait of themselves as a baby (using pre-made shapes on the computer) and then they will make a self portrait of what they look like now.
Science- Students will use the paint studio application to fill "color" the pictures of how a plant grows from a seed to a plant.
Once a week the teacher will ask the students a question and the teacher will type their response into a word document. This will help to model the use of word processing and for students to be involved in a print rich environment.
Fine motor- The students will practice holding a mouse and clicking the buttons by moving it around on a piece of paper that has a line drawn on it.
Students will be assessed by the teacher while they are involved in the activities throughout the week. Each center has 2-3 students at it.
PK-2.CC.2. use a variety of developmentally appropriate digital tools (e.g., word processors, paint programs) to communicate ideas to classmates, families, and others
I currently teach Preschool to 3 year olds where we don't have technology available in our classroom. I think the center is against using it in the classrooms for children under 3.5-4 years old. So here is what I would do to integrate it into my current curriculum if it was allowed where I worked!
Next week we will be learning about how our body grows. I would do the following activities during center times throughout the week to enhance the curriculum about how our body grows.
Literacy- Students will type their names on a word processing document that is already opened. To enhance their skills the teacher can show the students how to make a capital letter.
Math-The pictures the students "colored" on the computer will be printed, cut out and used for a sequencing activity.
Art- The students will create a self portrait using the paint studio on the computer. First they will create a self portrait of themselves as a baby (using pre-made shapes on the computer) and then they will make a self portrait of what they look like now.
Science- Students will use the paint studio application to fill "color" the pictures of how a plant grows from a seed to a plant.
Once a week the teacher will ask the students a question and the teacher will type their response into a word document. This will help to model the use of word processing and for students to be involved in a print rich environment.
Fine motor- The students will practice holding a mouse and clicking the buttons by moving it around on a piece of paper that has a line drawn on it.
Students will be assessed by the teacher while they are involved in the activities throughout the week. Each center has 2-3 students at it.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Digital Writing, Digital Teaching
GVSUgraceam is the first comment on this blog post from an assistant professor at Central Michigan University. Go Chips! Who today are playing NC State!
http://hickstro.org/2011/10/06/some-thoughts-on-digital-reading/#comments
http://hickstro.org/2011/10/06/some-thoughts-on-digital-reading/#comments
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Sharewith911
I found this blog that lists some great educational technology websites. One of them I chose to read was this http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2011/09/mobile-phones-in-schools-as-lifesaving.html?showComment=1316734486784#c3685837517615893014
It talks about using mobile phones in schools to help save lives! The example is using your phone to take a pictures of what is happening in a school during a school shooting. While this is one of the extreme examples it could be very beneficial to law enforcement and first responders! Be sure to check it out.
It talks about using mobile phones in schools to help save lives! The example is using your phone to take a pictures of what is happening in a school during a school shooting. While this is one of the extreme examples it could be very beneficial to law enforcement and first responders! Be sure to check it out.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Technology: Home and School
Technology at Home:
In our home we have a desktop, laptop, iPod touch, iPod nano, PS3, and 2 Plasma TV's with Netflix streaming and the ability to connect to the internet. We also have cell phones, but we don't have a texting plan so that puts us a little behind the generation that we currently teach. For me I feel we have plenty of technology in our home! My husband would disagree since he loves to have the latest and greatest of things. He is currently dreaming of a projection TV system for the basement along with an iPad.
I currently teach at a preschool and we have hardly any technology. There is one student computer in the Pre-K classroom and it currently doesn't work. In my classroom I bring the iPod touch and connect it to a speaker doc. I use it a lot to play movement songs, relaxing songs for nap/rest time, and songs to bring the students together when they aren't following directions! I think that having more technology would be amazing in preschool. These children can't write yet so they only have their words to express themselves. How cool would it be to have a webchat with another classroom! Pen pals for 3 year olds via Skype.
When I worked in the middle school setting technology was always being talked about. How can we get easy to use technology that's free into the classroom so that teachers can use it! Our technology teacher taught us after school about virtual field trips, how to navigate and search for ones that are free, as well as how to set them up in his classroom. I think that as teachers we need to think about how the technology works to engage our students. We don't want to use it just to use it. How can we use it to get our students excited about the more boring topics??
I would hope that with greater opportunities with technology in the classroom that my students would benefit from it. Would they be able to learn more about different cultures by taking a virtual field trip to another country? Then could we work to set up a Skype session where the students could do a Q and A to learn more about what its like to be a child in another country. Facebook has really opened up the opportunities to meet and stay connected to others around the world. We just have to take advantage of it and bring it into the classroom and have administrators and technology directors that agree with it!
I hope that this class will introduce me to different ideas about technology, new ways to use technology and the different successes and struggles in school districts across Michigan!
Have a great week!
-Amy Miles
In our home we have a desktop, laptop, iPod touch, iPod nano, PS3, and 2 Plasma TV's with Netflix streaming and the ability to connect to the internet. We also have cell phones, but we don't have a texting plan so that puts us a little behind the generation that we currently teach. For me I feel we have plenty of technology in our home! My husband would disagree since he loves to have the latest and greatest of things. He is currently dreaming of a projection TV system for the basement along with an iPad.
I currently teach at a preschool and we have hardly any technology. There is one student computer in the Pre-K classroom and it currently doesn't work. In my classroom I bring the iPod touch and connect it to a speaker doc. I use it a lot to play movement songs, relaxing songs for nap/rest time, and songs to bring the students together when they aren't following directions! I think that having more technology would be amazing in preschool. These children can't write yet so they only have their words to express themselves. How cool would it be to have a webchat with another classroom! Pen pals for 3 year olds via Skype.
When I worked in the middle school setting technology was always being talked about. How can we get easy to use technology that's free into the classroom so that teachers can use it! Our technology teacher taught us after school about virtual field trips, how to navigate and search for ones that are free, as well as how to set them up in his classroom. I think that as teachers we need to think about how the technology works to engage our students. We don't want to use it just to use it. How can we use it to get our students excited about the more boring topics??
I would hope that with greater opportunities with technology in the classroom that my students would benefit from it. Would they be able to learn more about different cultures by taking a virtual field trip to another country? Then could we work to set up a Skype session where the students could do a Q and A to learn more about what its like to be a child in another country. Facebook has really opened up the opportunities to meet and stay connected to others around the world. We just have to take advantage of it and bring it into the classroom and have administrators and technology directors that agree with it!
I hope that this class will introduce me to different ideas about technology, new ways to use technology and the different successes and struggles in school districts across Michigan!
Have a great week!
-Amy Miles
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
It's been a long time!
It's been too long my friends!
Abby is getting big (2 years old now) and Luke ( 5 months old) are doing great. I also started taking classes towards my masters and will be posting here for one of my classes!
-Amy
Abby is getting big (2 years old now) and Luke ( 5 months old) are doing great. I also started taking classes towards my masters and will be posting here for one of my classes!
-Amy
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