When I entered into this class I had no idea what to expect. Yes, I had taken technology courses before, but never one that had hopes of inclusion in a classroom and emphasizing literacy. Throughout our time together we all grew to see what we could do to engage our students, to develop lessons that are well rounded, create units that give our students opportunities to create and so much more.
Most of all I learned how quickly we can learn as a cooperative group. It was wonderful to share these past 3 months of learning opportunities with you all. Each person in this class challenged me to work even harder than I already was. What everyone created was so amazing and beautiful in its own unique way. I wish that as we went on our own separate paths that we would have a place to reunite and continue to inspire one another. Imagine what we could do it we were together for more than 3 months.
I wish all of you good luck in whatever your future holds. It was a wonderful experience sharing this class with you.
xoxo
Monica
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Last Few Weeks in Review
Participating in this class has been very interesting. It brings new ideas to light and helps us to help provoke thoughts from one another.
Last weeks class was even more interesting to me than other. Usually when talking about technology the reference to how it can help others who are presented with life-long challenges does not often come up. I though the videos were very informative and touching. The people who are courageous enough to take on the challenges of creating the tools to help others are almost as amazing as those who are able to meet their challenge head on.
This week was a fun class that was a bit anxiety producing. Creating items for peer review are not always easy. you feel the pressure to create and do it in a way that will be well liked. I have to say that after watching what the other groups had produced, it did not ease my fears! They did such a wonderful job. When it was our turn I was so nervous. However, after finally being able to get the video to work, and showing the film I felt a great sense of relief. I am also so happy that this was a topic that the whole class could discuss.
Thank you all for being so kind.
Last weeks class was even more interesting to me than other. Usually when talking about technology the reference to how it can help others who are presented with life-long challenges does not often come up. I though the videos were very informative and touching. The people who are courageous enough to take on the challenges of creating the tools to help others are almost as amazing as those who are able to meet their challenge head on.
This week was a fun class that was a bit anxiety producing. Creating items for peer review are not always easy. you feel the pressure to create and do it in a way that will be well liked. I have to say that after watching what the other groups had produced, it did not ease my fears! They did such a wonderful job. When it was our turn I was so nervous. However, after finally being able to get the video to work, and showing the film I felt a great sense of relief. I am also so happy that this was a topic that the whole class could discuss.
Thank you all for being so kind.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Virtual Educational Networking
Today we are inundated with stimuli - constantly reachable, accessible and in touch. We are always connected to one piece of technology or another and have become more virtually than physically active. With this revolution of technological access over the past 15 years, how are we revolutionizing our classrooms? Like it or not, we need to create changes that mirror the realities of the real world. This includes constant access to materials, out of classroom communications and integration of social programs into the classroom.
Firstly, schools are making changes to create students, teacher and parent access. Including resources such as classroom websites. One of the advantages is that it allows students to work on their own schedule, which we know can be very different than that of an adult. It also allows parents to monitor, review and access their child's work. It keeps the parents engaged and in the loop. This will limit confusion for all parties and create opportunities parents and teachers to remain informed of individual situations. Lastly, this can also allow teachers to teach students interactively. This can incorporate wikis, blogs and virtual lessons/notes.
Secondly, we can create new relationships outside of the classroom that further learning in previously non-accessible ways. One example of would be to establish connections with various educational institutions. This could be through something as simple as emails and virtual tours and as elaborate as skyping with museum curators and college professors.
Most importantly, I found the Strategies for Incorporating Reading Responses very helpful and important for a respect filled and responsible online teaching forum. These guidelines are not only for the teachers, but also for the students. It guides educators on proper responses, appropriate discussions, clear rules to include, how to engage active participation and ensure relevance for your students. By preparing discussions in this way we create a forum for intellectualizing ideas in a way that incorporates all learners. Students can also inspire other students to think in new and interesting ways, leading to learnings that even the educator may not have intended.
Questions:
1. How do we as teachers establish websites that will provide enough information/interaction for students and parents, while not overwhelming them?
2. By creating a forum that can be utilized at home, are we overwhelming our students, and predesignating them for business type futures?
3. In designing and maintaining online websites, will teachers be forced to take time away from classroom lesson design and thus create mediocre lessons?
Firstly, schools are making changes to create students, teacher and parent access. Including resources such as classroom websites. One of the advantages is that it allows students to work on their own schedule, which we know can be very different than that of an adult. It also allows parents to monitor, review and access their child's work. It keeps the parents engaged and in the loop. This will limit confusion for all parties and create opportunities parents and teachers to remain informed of individual situations. Lastly, this can also allow teachers to teach students interactively. This can incorporate wikis, blogs and virtual lessons/notes.
Secondly, we can create new relationships outside of the classroom that further learning in previously non-accessible ways. One example of would be to establish connections with various educational institutions. This could be through something as simple as emails and virtual tours and as elaborate as skyping with museum curators and college professors.
Most importantly, I found the Strategies for Incorporating Reading Responses very helpful and important for a respect filled and responsible online teaching forum. These guidelines are not only for the teachers, but also for the students. It guides educators on proper responses, appropriate discussions, clear rules to include, how to engage active participation and ensure relevance for your students. By preparing discussions in this way we create a forum for intellectualizing ideas in a way that incorporates all learners. Students can also inspire other students to think in new and interesting ways, leading to learnings that even the educator may not have intended.
Questions:
1. How do we as teachers establish websites that will provide enough information/interaction for students and parents, while not overwhelming them?
2. By creating a forum that can be utilized at home, are we overwhelming our students, and predesignating them for business type futures?
3. In designing and maintaining online websites, will teachers be forced to take time away from classroom lesson design and thus create mediocre lessons?
Project WebQuest - ArtStory - AKA Mission (Almost) Impossible
WebQuest. How can I explain it? I can start by saying "challenging." While I started to create my quest I began to ramble in my head about all the ways that I could create my lessons. Once I started I couldn't stop. By the end of my personal lesson brainstorming session, I practically had the students creating a scale model of planet Earth. Well, maybe it wasn't that bad. The ideas needed some adjustment for feasibility/age appropriateness, but I was very happy with my ideas.
Then I opened my web browser and entered into the site - Digication. There I was looking at a blank white page, literally, and all the ideas that I had created in my head rushed out. I tried to bring them to fruition, but struggled to do them any justice. So I decided to create a low-stakes page for myself where I could play with the pages and options so that I could to learn how to create in this new forum. Once I began looking at the different ways I could use the modules, import data and develop design, I started to feel more confident. Now it was time to return to my WebQuest. As I started to bring my ideas to life, I became more comfortable with this new venue. One idea inspired design for another and everything started to fall into place. Although, I must say I believe that an entire course could be taught on how to effectively create a WebQuest using Digication, as design is a bit challenging.
After a long, exciting, emotion-filled and anxious process I am happy to say that I am completely happy with my creation (almost.) After this initial process, I believe that I will be able to create many more resources to help educate my students. With each one, I will learn new things, bring new ideas to fruition and develop new ways to engage my students.
Questions:
1. Is this a shared experience? What challenges did you face?
2. What suggestions would you provide to a new user now that you have completed a WebQuest using Digication?
3. What other sites would you recommend to bring your WebQuests to life?
Then I opened my web browser and entered into the site - Digication. There I was looking at a blank white page, literally, and all the ideas that I had created in my head rushed out. I tried to bring them to fruition, but struggled to do them any justice. So I decided to create a low-stakes page for myself where I could play with the pages and options so that I could to learn how to create in this new forum. Once I began looking at the different ways I could use the modules, import data and develop design, I started to feel more confident. Now it was time to return to my WebQuest. As I started to bring my ideas to life, I became more comfortable with this new venue. One idea inspired design for another and everything started to fall into place. Although, I must say I believe that an entire course could be taught on how to effectively create a WebQuest using Digication, as design is a bit challenging.
After a long, exciting, emotion-filled and anxious process I am happy to say that I am completely happy with my creation (almost.) After this initial process, I believe that I will be able to create many more resources to help educate my students. With each one, I will learn new things, bring new ideas to fruition and develop new ways to engage my students.
Questions:
1. Is this a shared experience? What challenges did you face?
2. What suggestions would you provide to a new user now that you have completed a WebQuest using Digication?
3. What other sites would you recommend to bring your WebQuests to life?
Inquiry through Technology.
Becoming an educator is a large undertaking and at times presents overwhelming challenges. However, it is nothing compared to what we will face in the classroom. One of the largest challenges educators face is keeping students engaged in the material while completing lessons. It is important to note that the classroom environment is no longer confined by the walls around it. With technological access there is much potential, but also a great deal of struggle. If utilized properly we can create opportunities that are exciting for students, but if we do not, we can easily lose students to the their own personal access to technology - Smart Phones.
In an attempt to create lessons that excite students, educators can find the resources listed in Chapter 7 very useful. I found the unique ways to utilize commonly used sites, such as Google Earth particularly useful. As a Social Studies teacher, I could utilize a tool such as this to create an interdisciplinary lesson, partnered with either a science (Earth Science) or mathematics (Scaling and Geometry) courses. Presenting information to students in this matter allows them to become involved.
In addition, the strategies for utilizing gaming in the classroom was of interest to me.While I am familiar with using gaming as a way to encourage student engagement and practice, I struggled to see the ways in which an educator could include them in a non homework/practice capacity. The idea of discussing the content of gaming was particularly interesting. This changed the purpose of gaming from practice to active learning. Students discussing their accomplishments, what they have done, how they have done it and even questioning its accuracy allows them to consider their learning. Unfortunately, this is not something that I have experienced in a live classroom, but am interested to create opportunities like these for my future students.
Lastly, utilizing the technology available in the classroom in these new and interesting ways will be a great way to engage students in and of itself. Introducing new ideas, even if only visually, creates interest for students. If the same resources are continually utilized, no matter how interesting students will lose interest. By using sites like these, and continuing through our careers with this same drive to find new resources, we can keep our students interested in the material.
Questions:
1. Through utilization of the best gaming programs designed specifically for the classroom are we losing the need for quality educators?
2. What are some effective ways that you have observed the utilization of gaming technology in the classroom, without it being for the purpose of practice or homework?
3. Are their ways that we can include students easily accessed technology - Smart Phones - in the classroom so that we can further their engagement in lessons? Could that be through the use of tasks such as polling, multiple choice questions and gaming?
In an attempt to create lessons that excite students, educators can find the resources listed in Chapter 7 very useful. I found the unique ways to utilize commonly used sites, such as Google Earth particularly useful. As a Social Studies teacher, I could utilize a tool such as this to create an interdisciplinary lesson, partnered with either a science (Earth Science) or mathematics (Scaling and Geometry) courses. Presenting information to students in this matter allows them to become involved.
In addition, the strategies for utilizing gaming in the classroom was of interest to me.While I am familiar with using gaming as a way to encourage student engagement and practice, I struggled to see the ways in which an educator could include them in a non homework/practice capacity. The idea of discussing the content of gaming was particularly interesting. This changed the purpose of gaming from practice to active learning. Students discussing their accomplishments, what they have done, how they have done it and even questioning its accuracy allows them to consider their learning. Unfortunately, this is not something that I have experienced in a live classroom, but am interested to create opportunities like these for my future students.
Lastly, utilizing the technology available in the classroom in these new and interesting ways will be a great way to engage students in and of itself. Introducing new ideas, even if only visually, creates interest for students. If the same resources are continually utilized, no matter how interesting students will lose interest. By using sites like these, and continuing through our careers with this same drive to find new resources, we can keep our students interested in the material.
Questions:
1. Through utilization of the best gaming programs designed specifically for the classroom are we losing the need for quality educators?
2. What are some effective ways that you have observed the utilization of gaming technology in the classroom, without it being for the purpose of practice or homework?
3. Are their ways that we can include students easily accessed technology - Smart Phones - in the classroom so that we can further their engagement in lessons? Could that be through the use of tasks such as polling, multiple choice questions and gaming?
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Today's Take Away (And Happy Almost Easter)
While we went through all of the WebQuests today I became a bit intimidated by the creativity of previous students. But after going through the various requirements and ways to create I thought about all of the posibiilities for my own Quest.
I want to wish you all good luck on your WebQuests and I am so excited to explore all that you have created. I am sure that you will be brought to the table will be amazing and beautiful.
Lastly, Happy Easter and enjoy your well deserved break.
I want to wish you all good luck on your WebQuests and I am so excited to explore all that you have created. I am sure that you will be brought to the table will be amazing and beautiful.
Lastly, Happy Easter and enjoy your well deserved break.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Take-aways for Today
While we all sit in class together, I am constantly amazed in the way that we make one another think. To be able to intellectualize our thoughts is exciting. However the contradictory/developed ideas that other students have bring on provocative thinking for one another. I just want to thank all of you for helping me to learn more from this class than i can simply learn out of a book.
I guess that brings me to my next point. For as much as I love the integration of technology into the classrooms (appropriately of course,) there is something lost when courses are solely offered online. Students lose the chance to interact and make one another think.
I am just so happy that we are all able to help one another and create a unique classroom experience.
I look forward to seeing all of your projects in the coming weeks. (I am also a bit intimidated because you are all so capable.)
I guess that brings me to my next point. For as much as I love the integration of technology into the classrooms (appropriately of course,) there is something lost when courses are solely offered online. Students lose the chance to interact and make one another think.
I am just so happy that we are all able to help one another and create a unique classroom experience.
I look forward to seeing all of your projects in the coming weeks. (I am also a bit intimidated because you are all so capable.)
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