I used Microsoft Powerpoint to incorporate images, videos, links, and texts into a presentation that easily conveys subject matter to students.
EDUC422PowerpointMNoble
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Newsletter - NETS 1
I used Microsoft Word to format the newsletter, incorporate images, manipulate the text, and create a header – all traditional aspects of a newsletter.
EDUC422NewsletterMNoble
EDUC422NewsletterMNoble
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Journal # 4
"Finding Students Who Learn with Media" looks at the benefits of student-created media and its influence on the classroom. Glen Bull supports student use of technology and the use of their products to concurrently foster a better understanding of the material and the medium in which it is presented.
An example of this software would be “PrimaryAccess,” a web-based movie maker that allows students to take footage (their own or otherwise) and present their analyses via posting, narrating, even inserting personal touches into the movie. It quite literally allows the student to step into the world they are trying to comprehend and make sense out of it – creating, in Bull’s view, the optimal learning environment.
Student engagement (or lack thereof) is recognized as one of the primary hindrances and problems teachers face, regardless of whether or not it is caused by the technology itself. I mean, who wants to sit anywhere and watch a teacher drone on about a topic. Studies show a startling increase in interest when students are presented with media created by fellow students for the sole purpose of learning from peers. It allows for those creating the media to be thoroughly engaged as its creator and for those experiencing the media to be engaged as a participant in their classmate’s work.
What types of student-media would you allow in your classroom?
I would allow anything a student offers that positively influences the lesson at hand. I may assign it myself, or God-willing, a student can volunteer personal time and information that they feel is relevant to the subject.
What would you have to be careful of?
The student-medium would have to be cleared by myself and any other powers that be before it is allowed to be presented. Students, being young and naïve, may not fully understand the ethics of properly presenting certain subject matter. As long as it is classroom appropriate, it should be fine.
An example of this software would be “PrimaryAccess,” a web-based movie maker that allows students to take footage (their own or otherwise) and present their analyses via posting, narrating, even inserting personal touches into the movie. It quite literally allows the student to step into the world they are trying to comprehend and make sense out of it – creating, in Bull’s view, the optimal learning environment.
Student engagement (or lack thereof) is recognized as one of the primary hindrances and problems teachers face, regardless of whether or not it is caused by the technology itself. I mean, who wants to sit anywhere and watch a teacher drone on about a topic. Studies show a startling increase in interest when students are presented with media created by fellow students for the sole purpose of learning from peers. It allows for those creating the media to be thoroughly engaged as its creator and for those experiencing the media to be engaged as a participant in their classmate’s work.
What types of student-media would you allow in your classroom?
I would allow anything a student offers that positively influences the lesson at hand. I may assign it myself, or God-willing, a student can volunteer personal time and information that they feel is relevant to the subject.
What would you have to be careful of?
The student-medium would have to be cleared by myself and any other powers that be before it is allowed to be presented. Students, being young and naïve, may not fully understand the ethics of properly presenting certain subject matter. As long as it is classroom appropriate, it should be fine.
Journal # 3
"Keeping the Peace" analyzes the pros and cons of instant messaging, a seemingly double-edged sword with regard to its usefulness to educators and students. Levinson comments on how each generation saw the applications of technology - IMs in this case. Older generations would've seen it only for its technological value, an effective means of communication. Newer generations saw the same use and took it a step further with entertainment uses (the larger category of blogging for example). And there’s the rub, it would seem.
After introducing laptops into their school, educators immediately encountered misuse of their educational tools. Similar messaging applications like Messenger and iChat soon became the new means of furtive correspondence between students. Over time, it would seem like it did more good than harm, especially to teachers that actually found suitable and proper uses for it – provided they managed to figure out the laptops themselves.
On that note, the need to train teachers unfamiliar with the technology soon became apparent. Prior to the start of school years, teachers underwent a sort of technological boot(-up) camp to familiarize themselves with the technology that students so easily grasped. Such seminars closed the gap between students and instructors and allowed laptops to reclaim their intended use in the classroom.
Is there any use for laptops and IMing in your classroom?
Traditionally, I would have to say “No.” In my opinion, the true nature of the teaching process lay within the real and actual interaction and instruction between teachers and students. Laptops (and IMing if necessary) would only serve as perks and enhancements to the process, not the primary medium and means of communication.
Do you see technology as helpful or a hindrance?
When used properly, it can enhance any lesson/lecture to the students benefit. When used improperly, it is merely a distraction and unnecessary element of the classroom.
After introducing laptops into their school, educators immediately encountered misuse of their educational tools. Similar messaging applications like Messenger and iChat soon became the new means of furtive correspondence between students. Over time, it would seem like it did more good than harm, especially to teachers that actually found suitable and proper uses for it – provided they managed to figure out the laptops themselves.
On that note, the need to train teachers unfamiliar with the technology soon became apparent. Prior to the start of school years, teachers underwent a sort of technological boot(-up) camp to familiarize themselves with the technology that students so easily grasped. Such seminars closed the gap between students and instructors and allowed laptops to reclaim their intended use in the classroom.
Is there any use for laptops and IMing in your classroom?
Traditionally, I would have to say “No.” In my opinion, the true nature of the teaching process lay within the real and actual interaction and instruction between teachers and students. Laptops (and IMing if necessary) would only serve as perks and enhancements to the process, not the primary medium and means of communication.
Do you see technology as helpful or a hindrance?
When used properly, it can enhance any lesson/lecture to the students benefit. When used improperly, it is merely a distraction and unnecessary element of the classroom.
Journal # 1
“Computing in the Clouds” offers an alternative means of file maintenance beyond hard drives and flash drives. People think it’s impossible to fill up a 250 GB hard drive until a year or two of ownership when their computer slows down from all the files they’ve accumulated. Doug Johnson offers “cloud computing” as a solution to this problem.
“Cloud computing” refers to the use of applications and file storage “that reside on a network.” In other words, files and programs don’t run from the user’s computer/laptop from the network itself. As such, the only requirement for speed and effectiveness is a fast connection to this network.
Johnson argues that using this technology in schools (be it strictly for teachers or for students as well) would enhance the effectiveness of technology as a teaching tool. It cannot replace a fully fledged computer, but considering the monetary issues surrounding schools, cloud computing is a cost effective and acceptable alternative to supplying a school with 100 computers, each with their own maintenance and programming issues.
With the dominance of the Internet and the recently developed affordability of Netbooks, cloud computing seems like the way to go. And personally, I’m inclined to agree and seek out my own uses for it in my classroom.
How would you use this in your classroom?
First off, I don't know at what grade level students are expected to be familiar with computers (particularly because of their prevalence in households nowadays), so for the purposes of this answer, I will refer to middle school and upwards.
I would high consider making this an integral aspect of my curriculum. At the beginning of the semester, I would have students set up a variety of accounts (much like we did here in EDUC 422) to establish a functional online foundation for them to easily work on assignments so long as they have access to computers and the Internet. Generally speaking, it gives all students equal ground and resources with which to perform the tasks assigned to them.
What issues would you have to watch out for?
Internet safety would be a top concern. With the issue of privacy, security, even sexual predators online, it would be wise to educate the students on smart use of the technology they are using. Like any other educational tool, its purpose is to enhance the learning experience. But when abused and misused, it can only do harm.
“Cloud computing” refers to the use of applications and file storage “that reside on a network.” In other words, files and programs don’t run from the user’s computer/laptop from the network itself. As such, the only requirement for speed and effectiveness is a fast connection to this network.
Johnson argues that using this technology in schools (be it strictly for teachers or for students as well) would enhance the effectiveness of technology as a teaching tool. It cannot replace a fully fledged computer, but considering the monetary issues surrounding schools, cloud computing is a cost effective and acceptable alternative to supplying a school with 100 computers, each with their own maintenance and programming issues.
With the dominance of the Internet and the recently developed affordability of Netbooks, cloud computing seems like the way to go. And personally, I’m inclined to agree and seek out my own uses for it in my classroom.
How would you use this in your classroom?
First off, I don't know at what grade level students are expected to be familiar with computers (particularly because of their prevalence in households nowadays), so for the purposes of this answer, I will refer to middle school and upwards.
I would high consider making this an integral aspect of my curriculum. At the beginning of the semester, I would have students set up a variety of accounts (much like we did here in EDUC 422) to establish a functional online foundation for them to easily work on assignments so long as they have access to computers and the Internet. Generally speaking, it gives all students equal ground and resources with which to perform the tasks assigned to them.
What issues would you have to watch out for?
Internet safety would be a top concern. With the issue of privacy, security, even sexual predators online, it would be wise to educate the students on smart use of the technology they are using. Like any other educational tool, its purpose is to enhance the learning experience. But when abused and misused, it can only do harm.
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