Reflection #10

Today I observed a 1st grade classroom and loved it. One of the technology uses I noticed was a tape player. The teacher played a tape for the students instead of reading the story herself. I thought it was a great idea because it gave the teacher a "break" and the students were engaged.
But that was all the technology I noticed. They did all their homework on paper. I really liked this grade because there was so much going on. The kids could paint, read, work on their homework. They were all productive and excited when they finished.

Assignment #5

I had so much fun doing this assignment. The only thing about the link is that it doesn't show the pictures I added to it. It will show when I do my Powerpoint presentation. I learned so much doing this project. I used Powerpoint, Word, and then I will use the Smartboard to present it to the class. It took me a while to do each of the slides, but now that I have that down it might be fun to do in an actual classroom. I am going to keep it and change it according to the lessons that I will be teaching. I had the most fun putting the pictures in. I am going to try and add music later.

Now that it's done I feel more comfortable with the technology used. It took me a while, but it's a learning process. The more I use it the more comfortable I will be. But I had a great time doing this project.

Classroom in 5 Years

Who knows? Technology changes everyday, and in 5 years I may be shocked. I feel it's important to keep up with technology, but there is really no way of knowing what will be available. 5 years ago I would have had no idea of the technology available today. There are times where I feel like technology is taking over, but I get over it. My only wish is that technology is advanced for the better. As a teacher I hope to use the future technology for the benefit of my students. The Smartboard will probably be more advanced and in every classroom. The Elmo will probably be a necessity too, but it all depends on the classroom that I will be at. Some schools have more money and can afford the latest technology. This doesn't mean that they are better, but that they have more options available to the teachers. I just hope that I will be a great teacher no matter what equipment I have.

Classroom Reflection #9

A couple of weeks ago I went to my school's science fair and was greatly impressed by some of the technology used. Some of the exhibits were the usual, but there was one that really caught my eye. One of the students had this really cool microscope that could be projected on a television screen. I thought it was really neat because several people could look at the object instead of just one. I wanted to get one for my son, but I asked and it was a little too pricey for a 4 year old. But it would be a nice asset to have in the classroom. All the students could look at the same object and in the long run it might cut down on costs because you would only have to buy one instead of 26, or so.

Thoughts on Technology in Education

Technology is very important to education! Students are coming in with such a vast amount of technological information and it's important for teachers to encourage their students to increase their technological knowledge. I also think that technology can help educate students. For the visual learner, they can look at the Smartboard, Elmo projector, or even the computer. The kinesthetic learner can learn by actually doing the things on the computer and Smartboard. The auditory listener can listen to music, video, podcasts, and the computer. I don't see how technology could not benefit a student.

My views of technology haven't changed this semester, but it was nice to learn about some of the technology out there that is beneficial. Some of my favorite new technology findings have been the blogger, podcasts, and the Smartboard. I hope to use them in my classroom in the future.

Online Conference "Cell Phones as Learning Tools"

This was AMAZING! The conference I attended had a video which made it possible for me to actually view what she did. I chose "Cell Phones as Learning Tools" because I am absolutely against cell phones in the classroom. I wanted to hear about the benefits before I banned them in my classroom. They are a great tool, but still not for the classroom.

One of the most interesting things I learned for this podcast was a program called Gabcast. A teacher can call a programed number on her cell phone, and make a podcast (up to 60 minutes) that is then published on her/his blogger account. The students, and anyone else can immediately hear what was said on the cell.

Another feature that was talked about was photoblogging. Most cell phones have cameras, and the pictures can be shared online. I wasn't too interested in this one because most people know this by now, but the Gabcast really got my attention.

I do think that cell phones can be a tool, and it would be very handy to be able to leave a podcast at any time. I still don't think they should be in the classroom for students. A teacher would have to monitor them regularly to make sure that the students were paying attention, not cheating, or distracting the other students.

I really had a fun time watching this conference. It was very informational, and broadened my knowledge of the technology that is already out there.

Technology Assignment #4

Technology can really improve my lesson. I think that if I were going to add a video it would help the students understand matter much better. They could watch experiments being done on the internet. This would save time and space. The students would probably grasp information better this way than by direct instruction.

One thing that I did want to change to my lesson plan was the use of computers. Instead of working with paper and pen, the students would be creating a PowerPoint presentation for the rest of the class, and their caretakers. I believe adding technology to a lesson will reinforce the information. Students would also have a lot more fun doing it this way.

Adding any technology to a lesson can help visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learners. It gives kids a chance to actually do something that most enjoy doing anyways. I think that my lesson would be better with technology and hope to keep it in my lesson.

Some tools that I would need for this lesson are computers, overhead, and Microsoft PowerPoint. I would want enough computers for 3 students, or less, to share. By using technology, like computers, students are more likely to figure things out for themselves. There is more that the lesson that is being learned. Students are learning technology at the same time. The teacher can be there for guided practice, and direct instruction can be shortened. Students want to be busy, not sit and listen to the teacher all day.

Some challenges might be keeping the kids on task. This can easily be dealt with with a computer program call SynchronEYES. The teacher can watch what the students are doing on her computer and write messages the the students. She can also send web link directly to their computer.

The NETS covered are I.I, I.II, II.I, II.II, II.IV, IV.IV, V.I, V.II, V.III, VI.I, and VI.III.

Here is a link to my lesson plan. I wanted to do a 3rd grade Science lesson because I LOVE science and I think students need to be taught that science and math can be lots of fun.