Sunday, January 30, 2011
Spotlight on Emerging Technology: Online Learning in K-12
This movie explains how a learning-management system, such as Moodle, can help teachers and students. A web-based course management system helps to engage students in learning while providing teachers a way to check for understanding.Through this animation, I hope that teachers will consider implementing a learning module into the curriculum.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Course Reflection
Walden’s course, EDUC 6714, has definitely reaffirmed how important technology is in meeting the needs of diverse students. In the DVD, “Reaching and Engaging All Learners through Technology”, Dr. Stephanie Throne and Dr. Grace Smith (2007) explain the “benefits of technology in meeting the needs of diverse learners”. They explain that technology helps to keep students’ attention, gives them a chance to create real-world experiences, and prepares them for the future. Many of today’s students know more about technology than the classroom teachers. Not only does technology make learning fun, but it has become a necessity for the future workplace.
This course has introduced me to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL).According to www.cast.org , “UDL is a framework that can help you turn the challenges posed by high standards and increasing learner diversity into opportunities to maximize learning for every student. This framework to learning is definitely a resource that I will implement into my instructional strategies. In learning about the principles of UDL, I have better learned to teach information through a variety of instructional means. All students learn differently. My classroom consists of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. Technology will help me in reaching all types of learners. Whether my students are viewing a PowerPoint, listening to a Voice Thread, or creating a concept map, they can learn the same information while I better meet their needs. Technology also allows me to provide adjustable formats for those students that need it. Providing options for my students is also something that technology allows me to do. I will continue to allow my students to choose their means of research and activities. Technology helps to keep my students engaged in learning. Every students in unique and has different interests.
Social networking has not been something that I have been accustomed to using in the classroom. The differentiated learning assignments have given me an opportunity to learn from others and to share my ideas. My group used twitter to share thoughts and ideas from the course. I feel like I have really gotten to know some of the other students. I also gathered some valuable resources that I will use in the future. Most of my students are very familiar with social networking. I am very excited about using this as a tool for learning.
Surveys are definitely something else that I have realized are very important in getting to know my students. In this course, I have learned how to customize my own survey. Students differ in interest, learning styles, intelligences, and learning profiles. Creating a survey using www.surveymonkey.com helps me in better meeting the needs of my students.
This course has given me helpful information that I will use to reach my students. As a teacher, I am a constant learner. While I am a facilitator, I also want my students to realize that we are a team and are all working toward a common goal. As I slowly integrate more technology into my classroom, my students will create electronic portfolios. This will serve as an assessment as well as a showcase that they can be proud of. My goal is for my classroom to be a place where my students are excited about learning and are challenged as individuals.
References:
Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/ .
Survey Monkey. (2010). Retrieved from www.surveymonkey.com .
Throne, S. & Smith, G. (2007). Reaching and Engaging All Learners Through Technology,Laureate Education, Inc, DVD.
This course has introduced me to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL).According to www.cast.org , “UDL is a framework that can help you turn the challenges posed by high standards and increasing learner diversity into opportunities to maximize learning for every student. This framework to learning is definitely a resource that I will implement into my instructional strategies. In learning about the principles of UDL, I have better learned to teach information through a variety of instructional means. All students learn differently. My classroom consists of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. Technology will help me in reaching all types of learners. Whether my students are viewing a PowerPoint, listening to a Voice Thread, or creating a concept map, they can learn the same information while I better meet their needs. Technology also allows me to provide adjustable formats for those students that need it. Providing options for my students is also something that technology allows me to do. I will continue to allow my students to choose their means of research and activities. Technology helps to keep my students engaged in learning. Every students in unique and has different interests.
Social networking has not been something that I have been accustomed to using in the classroom. The differentiated learning assignments have given me an opportunity to learn from others and to share my ideas. My group used twitter to share thoughts and ideas from the course. I feel like I have really gotten to know some of the other students. I also gathered some valuable resources that I will use in the future. Most of my students are very familiar with social networking. I am very excited about using this as a tool for learning.
Surveys are definitely something else that I have realized are very important in getting to know my students. In this course, I have learned how to customize my own survey. Students differ in interest, learning styles, intelligences, and learning profiles. Creating a survey using www.surveymonkey.com helps me in better meeting the needs of my students.
This course has given me helpful information that I will use to reach my students. As a teacher, I am a constant learner. While I am a facilitator, I also want my students to realize that we are a team and are all working toward a common goal. As I slowly integrate more technology into my classroom, my students will create electronic portfolios. This will serve as an assessment as well as a showcase that they can be proud of. My goal is for my classroom to be a place where my students are excited about learning and are challenged as individuals.
References:
Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/ .
Survey Monkey. (2010). Retrieved from www.surveymonkey.com .
Throne, S. & Smith, G. (2007). Reaching and Engaging All Learners Through Technology,Laureate Education, Inc, DVD.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Final Blog Post
The GAME plan that I developed throughout this course motivated me to set goals in my classroom that will help my students prepare for the future. As a teacher, I have to stay up to date with the latest trends and teach my students to be successful learners. In integrating www.globalschoolnet.org into my curriculum, I have provided my students a way to collaborate with students from all over the world. This definitely prepares them for the future workplace. My students need to learn to work with different types of people. This is a life skill. Through my GAME plan, I have also found rubrics and checklists that will help my students choose sites that are reliable and trustworthy. In order for students to be successful researchers, they have to learn how to use the internet responsibly.
My students have visited www.globalschoolnet.org and they were really excited. They visited the Geogame link. This is an interactive website that helps students learn terms, maps, and cultural diversity. I also plan on having my students visit the online exhibitions. This is great for social studies. Students will be able to view history on the internet. What a great way to motivate them and keep them engaged in learning! There are many writing projects that are included on this site as well. Students can conduct research on current local issues and publish them. Students can also write articles and post them for the whole world to see. My students are improving in choosing websites that are appropriate and trustworthy. http://www.21cif.com/tools/evaluate/ is a site that allows my students to check the reliability of a source. Teaching my students this skill is significant. In the future, this will be a lesson that I teach at the beginning of the year. As teachers, we are implementing a variety of projects that integrate technology. We have to make sure our students are prepared for these types of assignments. The internet has become the primary source for research.
In Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use, Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009), explains that the “GAME plan requires you to think about and take steps to direct your learning process, specifically while learning about technology and how to integrate it into the curriculum.” Through this course, I learned how important it is to reflect on what is working and what areas need room for improvement. In order to grow as an educator, I have to be willing to make changes when necessary. A plan has to be put in place that will help me to stay focused and evaluate my progress. Just as we require our students to evaluate themselves through rubrics and checklists, a GAME plan is a way for educators to reflect, set goals, take action, monitor progress, and evaluate the results. In the future, I will keep a journal of activities that I integrate. If necessary, I will create a GAME plan to improve and better reach my students.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use. Ohio: Cengage Learning.
My students have visited www.globalschoolnet.org and they were really excited. They visited the Geogame link. This is an interactive website that helps students learn terms, maps, and cultural diversity. I also plan on having my students visit the online exhibitions. This is great for social studies. Students will be able to view history on the internet. What a great way to motivate them and keep them engaged in learning! There are many writing projects that are included on this site as well. Students can conduct research on current local issues and publish them. Students can also write articles and post them for the whole world to see. My students are improving in choosing websites that are appropriate and trustworthy. http://www.21cif.com/tools/evaluate/ is a site that allows my students to check the reliability of a source. Teaching my students this skill is significant. In the future, this will be a lesson that I teach at the beginning of the year. As teachers, we are implementing a variety of projects that integrate technology. We have to make sure our students are prepared for these types of assignments. The internet has become the primary source for research.
In Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use, Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009), explains that the “GAME plan requires you to think about and take steps to direct your learning process, specifically while learning about technology and how to integrate it into the curriculum.” Through this course, I learned how important it is to reflect on what is working and what areas need room for improvement. In order to grow as an educator, I have to be willing to make changes when necessary. A plan has to be put in place that will help me to stay focused and evaluate my progress. Just as we require our students to evaluate themselves through rubrics and checklists, a GAME plan is a way for educators to reflect, set goals, take action, monitor progress, and evaluate the results. In the future, I will keep a journal of activities that I integrate. If necessary, I will create a GAME plan to improve and better reach my students.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use. Ohio: Cengage Learning.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Using the GAME Plan Process with Students
Through my GAME plan, my students will collaborate with other students from all over the world using www.globalschoolnet.org. In using this site, my students will learn about other cultures and world issues. They will also have an opportunity to participate in world projects and international challenges. This will help my students to develop proficiency in creativity, communication and collaboration, and critical thinking. Participating in this will allow my students to work with different kinds of people and express themselves creatively.
Through my GAME plan, my students will also learn ways to stay safe when using technology. Using checklists and rubrics, my students will identify sites that are appropriate, effective, and reliable. This plan helps my students develop proficiency in decision making, digital citizenship, research & information fluency, and technology operations. In order for our students to be prepared for the future, we have to teach them how to be successful when using technology.
In reviewing my GAME plan, I feel like I have included two activities that will help my students to develop the NTES-S. This GAME plan has helped me to organize my thoughts and create two plans that will help to motivate my students through technology. I look forward to utilizing this GAME plan in the classroom.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use. Ohio: Cengage Learning.
Through my GAME plan, my students will also learn ways to stay safe when using technology. Using checklists and rubrics, my students will identify sites that are appropriate, effective, and reliable. This plan helps my students develop proficiency in decision making, digital citizenship, research & information fluency, and technology operations. In order for our students to be prepared for the future, we have to teach them how to be successful when using technology.
In reviewing my GAME plan, I feel like I have included two activities that will help my students to develop the NTES-S. This GAME plan has helped me to organize my thoughts and create two plans that will help to motivate my students through technology. I look forward to utilizing this GAME plan in the classroom.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use. Ohio: Cengage Learning.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Revising Your GAME Plan
In creating a GAME plan, I really need to focus on my goals and implement them in the classroom. Sometimes it can seem so overwhelming. Creating this GAME plan helped me to take steps, reflect, and make changes until I was successful. I have learned how to collaborate with students all over the world. There are so many great tools that can be implemented that can teach kids about other cultures and how kids from different areas are the same and different. I have also learned ways to teach kids to be safe when using technology. The checklists and rubrics that I found will help students with this. Also, there are wonderful links and PowerPoints that help explain this to the students. This is very helpful!
I am still working on getting more comfortable with implementing this new technology into my classroom. However, I have learned to make changes a little at a time. One way is to take a lesson that has been successful and add technology to it. In this way, I will enrich the lesson and better motivate my students to learn.
In viewing the NETS-T, one new goal that I have is to better communicate with parents and students through social networking. In the near future, I will implement a blog for parents and teachers to communicate. I will also create blogs that include questions for the students regarding stories that we are reading or a unit of study. In this week’s DVD, Vicki Davis (2007) explains how “Blogging gives everyone a chance”. Students and parents needs to be given a chance to ask questions and express themselves. When students are confident and students and parents feel comfortable asking questions, the students are more likely to be successful.
References:
Davis, V. (2007). Spotlight on Technology: Social Networking and Online Collaboration, Part 1, Laureate Education, Inc, DVD.
Davis, V. (2007). Spotlight on Technology: Social Networking and Online Collaboration, Part 2, Laureate Education, Inc, DVD.
I am still working on getting more comfortable with implementing this new technology into my classroom. However, I have learned to make changes a little at a time. One way is to take a lesson that has been successful and add technology to it. In this way, I will enrich the lesson and better motivate my students to learn.
In viewing the NETS-T, one new goal that I have is to better communicate with parents and students through social networking. In the near future, I will implement a blog for parents and teachers to communicate. I will also create blogs that include questions for the students regarding stories that we are reading or a unit of study. In this week’s DVD, Vicki Davis (2007) explains how “Blogging gives everyone a chance”. Students and parents needs to be given a chance to ask questions and express themselves. When students are confident and students and parents feel comfortable asking questions, the students are more likely to be successful.
References:
Davis, V. (2007). Spotlight on Technology: Social Networking and Online Collaboration, Part 1, Laureate Education, Inc, DVD.
Davis, V. (2007). Spotlight on Technology: Social Networking and Online Collaboration, Part 2, Laureate Education, Inc, DVD.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Evaluating Your GAME Plan Progress
One goal that I have implemented into my GAME plan is teaching my students to collaborate with others. I am incorporating a website, www.globalschoolnet.com into my curriculum. This site with allow my students to learn through online exhibitions, interactive games, and writing about global issues. Through this site, my students will be able to collaborate with students from all over the world. One question that I had is what my school policy was regarding this type of website as well as if I needed parental permission to allow my students to take part in this. In speaking with my administration and reading though my school handbook, I found out that this website would be acceptable. Students were given a permission form at the beginning of the year to give students permission for internet access. Since researching this, I have introduces this site to my students. We have explored all of its features. My students are very excited about getting started on a collaborative project!
The other goal that I have implemented into my GAME plan is teaching my kids to be safe when using technology. In researching rubrics and checklists to use through this process, I have found quite a variety. Some of the information that I have found is explanations as to why this is so important as well as the steps to take during this process. Here is a list of websites that include information as well as rubrics:
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/tbarcalow/490net/EvalRubric.htm
http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic32.htm
http://www.nhema.net/rubric.pdf
http://www.nhema.net/rubric.pdf
I have learned that evaluating websites is a skill that many teachers are trying to teach their students. Technology plays a major role in today’s classroom. Teaching students to stay safe when they are searching the web will help them research more efficiently and maximize learning.
As I continue to implement my GAME plan, reflection is very important. In Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use, Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009) state, “Key to effective reflection is the ability to go beyond a simple description of what happened to consider why it happened , how it is connected to other events, and what adjustments should be made to subsequent actions based on this understanding.” I need to reflect on what is working and what changes need to be made as I move forward with implementing my goals. Keeping a journal will help me in this process.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use. Ohio: Cengage Learning
The other goal that I have implemented into my GAME plan is teaching my kids to be safe when using technology. In researching rubrics and checklists to use through this process, I have found quite a variety. Some of the information that I have found is explanations as to why this is so important as well as the steps to take during this process. Here is a list of websites that include information as well as rubrics:
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/tbarcalow/490net/EvalRubric.htm
http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic32.htm
http://www.nhema.net/rubric.pdf
http://www.nhema.net/rubric.pdf
I have learned that evaluating websites is a skill that many teachers are trying to teach their students. Technology plays a major role in today’s classroom. Teaching students to stay safe when they are searching the web will help them research more efficiently and maximize learning.
As I continue to implement my GAME plan, reflection is very important. In Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use, Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009) state, “Key to effective reflection is the ability to go beyond a simple description of what happened to consider why it happened , how it is connected to other events, and what adjustments should be made to subsequent actions based on this understanding.” I need to reflect on what is working and what changes need to be made as I move forward with implementing my goals. Keeping a journal will help me in this process.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use. Ohio: Cengage Learning
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monitoring Your GAME Plan Progress
In Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use, Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009) state, “As you take action to achieve your learning goals, you’ll need to monitor whether you are making sufficient progress toward your goals and reflect on whether the strategies you have chosen are working.” My GAME plan includes collaborating with others using digital tools and resources and teaching students to be safe when using technology.
In teaching my students to collaborate with other using digital tools and resources, I am implementing www.globalschoolnet.org into the classroom. I am very impressed by this website and am confident that this will help my students to collaborate with others. In searching through this site, I have found online exhibitions, an interactive game to teach geography, and even a program that allows students to write articles for the whole world to see. This website gets teachers and students involved in developing all content areas. It also teaches students to be effective citizens and to understand other cultures. One question that I do have is what policy my school district has in participating in a program such as this. Parents would also have to give permission for students to showcase their work and collaborate with others on the web.
In teaching my students how to be safe when using technology, I plan on researching rubrics and checklists that would assist my students. In my research, I am amazed at how much is out there as resources. One site, http://21cif.com/tools/evaluate/ ,explains the steps of evaluating websites and leads students step by step through the process. This is just one of many sites that I have found. In teaching my students how to evaluate websites, I need to talk to others and find out how I can keep my fourth graders engaged in this process.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom
Use. Ohio: Cengage Learning.
In teaching my students to collaborate with other using digital tools and resources, I am implementing www.globalschoolnet.org into the classroom. I am very impressed by this website and am confident that this will help my students to collaborate with others. In searching through this site, I have found online exhibitions, an interactive game to teach geography, and even a program that allows students to write articles for the whole world to see. This website gets teachers and students involved in developing all content areas. It also teaches students to be effective citizens and to understand other cultures. One question that I do have is what policy my school district has in participating in a program such as this. Parents would also have to give permission for students to showcase their work and collaborate with others on the web.
In teaching my students how to be safe when using technology, I plan on researching rubrics and checklists that would assist my students. In my research, I am amazed at how much is out there as resources. One site, http://21cif.com/tools/evaluate/ ,explains the steps of evaluating websites and leads students step by step through the process. This is just one of many sites that I have found. In teaching my students how to evaluate websites, I need to talk to others and find out how I can keep my fourth graders engaged in this process.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom
Use. Ohio: Cengage Learning.
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