I think the things I learned from the articles, videos, and class this semester can all be summed up in one word: adaptability. It seemed that the theme that ran through the articles and videos was that students today are extremely adaptable because they are used to the changes and fluctuations in technology. They have been "rolling with the punches" their entire lives, when it comes to technology. Thus, teachers of these millenial students must adopt this level of adaptability in order to successfully help them through their educational journey. I believe that teachers must be lifelong learners and stay on top of the newest developments in their subject area and beyond. It is imperative that we, as teachers, are willing to change and adapt our lessons to meet the ever-evolving technology surrounding us and our students. I believe that being adaptable is being flexible, being willing to learn, being willing to change, and being willing to investigate and finding new answers to questions.
I felt that the video "Shift Happens" addressed this concept of adaptability very concisely. In a nutshell, the video was showing that everything is changing, both in the online environment and in the physical environment as a result. The video mentioned that this technological evolution is exponential. I believe that to be true. In the last 50 years, particularly the last 20, it seems that technological advancements are like a snowball rolling down a mountain. Not only have the advancements been increasing in volume and quantity, but they are also picking up speed. I believe that educators have the opportunity to shape some of the way students experience technology. This is why technology is so important in the classroom. When we understand how to better utilize technology to increase learning and output, we have the ability to share that with our students and set the next generation up with this increased learning and ability, which will certainly continue to advance exponentially. Thus, I believe, as educators, that our capacity for adaptability has to be as exponential as the changing technology is. I am excited to have the opportunity to expose my students to many technological experiences in my classroom and I hope to grow, along with them, as technology continues to grow and evolve.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
18 April-Lessons Learned
I have worked at the University of Utah law school for the past two years, and the topic of millenials and the latest generation of law students is a constant point of conversation. Many of my coworkers have worked here for 15-20 years (and longer), and they have seen an enormous shift in the attitudes and behaviors of students entering law school in the past decade. This is what would be defined as the "millenial generation." This title encompasses students born in the mid to late 1980's and later. In the article "The New WWW," I found two points to be of great interest. First, these students are so accustomed to instant gratification through the pervasiveness of media that they become bored easily and require more differentiation than ever before in their instruction. This has been a very difficult adaptation for many of the professors who have worked in my law school for many years and are still attempting to deliver information using their original lecture-only tactics. Secondly, these students have to be taught that they cannot be entirely consumers of information, they need to be innovators and developers, as well, in order to go forward successfully and productively in the new global marketplace. I felt that the video, "Did You Know: Shift Happens," addressed this concept perfectly. These students will not obtain a job and then work at the same company or organization for 30 years and then retire. That model is gone. The video clip pointed out that today's students are estimated to have 10-14 jobs by the time they are age 38. One point I found particularly interesting is that one out of two of today's employees has worked for their current employer less than five years. This has been a very difficult concept for my present management at the law school, because they believe it is a question of employee loyalty. They have had difficulty embracing the idea that today's students and employees are in constant transition and flux and will likely move on in their careers quicker than ever before.
I found the article entitled, "Why integrate technology into the Curriculum?" to be very in line with my beliefs about the structure of my future classroom. I fully intend to use technology as a collaborative tool. The article suggested four main components to be addressed with technology in the classroom: 1-active engagement, 2-participation in groups, 3-frequent interaction and feedback, and 4-connection to real-world experts. I feel like this article offers me a gauge to use in assessing the effectiveness and success of the technology I plan to introduce and use as a mainstay in my curriculum. I plan to teach Language Arts, and I spent a great deal of time discussing the pros and cons of text messaging and social writing in the online environment in my recent Teaching Writing class. Of course, one of the biggest arguments is that students are writing more, but the writing is "junk." The article, "Teens see disconnect between personal and school writing" is right on point addressing this article. It will be critical for me, when I am teaching writing, to emphasize that all writing is still writing. We developed several lesson plans in my Teaching Writing class to address the type of writing that students are used to in texting and social networking, and disguised it into launch topics for broader writing pieces. After reading these articles, I believe it is necessary to take the already-budding skill of writing that is occurring every day for these teens and make it into activities that also develop the important skill of writing. With everything occurring online, it will be more important than ever to have good writing skills in the future.
I found the Millenial video and the Shift Happens video to be incredibly enlightening. When the Millenial video started, I had to check the date it was posted, because many of the technologies the students were "wishing" for, have been introduced. The video was posted in 2008 when many of their ideas were in fledgling mode. Our media is so portable now, it's a part of every day life to constantly be "plugged in." I laughed when one of the students talked about the kids in his household having to be the technology experts for his parents. I remember three or so years ago when my husband brought his first iPhone home from work, I was blown away that my 3-year-old intuitively knew how to scroll and select apps without anyone showing her. I think it shows the adaptability of today's generation. Perhaps this is why the video Shift Happens points out that we are preparing students for "jobs that don't exist; technologies that haven't been invented; to solve problems that haven't been thought of." The millenial generation and future generations are innately prepared to absorb technology changes quicker and easier than generations before. It was baffling to me to read the statistic that half of what is learned in the first year of a four-year degree program now is outdated by the third year. It is up to us as educators to bridge this gap and continue moving forward with newer and better information and delivery methods. I learned it will be critical for me to always be learning and growing in my technological knowledge, and I will have to continually adapt this technology into my classroom.
I found the article entitled, "Why integrate technology into the Curriculum?" to be very in line with my beliefs about the structure of my future classroom. I fully intend to use technology as a collaborative tool. The article suggested four main components to be addressed with technology in the classroom: 1-active engagement, 2-participation in groups, 3-frequent interaction and feedback, and 4-connection to real-world experts. I feel like this article offers me a gauge to use in assessing the effectiveness and success of the technology I plan to introduce and use as a mainstay in my curriculum. I plan to teach Language Arts, and I spent a great deal of time discussing the pros and cons of text messaging and social writing in the online environment in my recent Teaching Writing class. Of course, one of the biggest arguments is that students are writing more, but the writing is "junk." The article, "Teens see disconnect between personal and school writing" is right on point addressing this article. It will be critical for me, when I am teaching writing, to emphasize that all writing is still writing. We developed several lesson plans in my Teaching Writing class to address the type of writing that students are used to in texting and social networking, and disguised it into launch topics for broader writing pieces. After reading these articles, I believe it is necessary to take the already-budding skill of writing that is occurring every day for these teens and make it into activities that also develop the important skill of writing. With everything occurring online, it will be more important than ever to have good writing skills in the future.
I found the Millenial video and the Shift Happens video to be incredibly enlightening. When the Millenial video started, I had to check the date it was posted, because many of the technologies the students were "wishing" for, have been introduced. The video was posted in 2008 when many of their ideas were in fledgling mode. Our media is so portable now, it's a part of every day life to constantly be "plugged in." I laughed when one of the students talked about the kids in his household having to be the technology experts for his parents. I remember three or so years ago when my husband brought his first iPhone home from work, I was blown away that my 3-year-old intuitively knew how to scroll and select apps without anyone showing her. I think it shows the adaptability of today's generation. Perhaps this is why the video Shift Happens points out that we are preparing students for "jobs that don't exist; technologies that haven't been invented; to solve problems that haven't been thought of." The millenial generation and future generations are innately prepared to absorb technology changes quicker and easier than generations before. It was baffling to me to read the statistic that half of what is learned in the first year of a four-year degree program now is outdated by the third year. It is up to us as educators to bridge this gap and continue moving forward with newer and better information and delivery methods. I learned it will be critical for me to always be learning and growing in my technological knowledge, and I will have to continually adapt this technology into my classroom.
18 April-Strengths and Weaknesses
The UNI survey and NET Standards were interesting and very enlightening for me. I thought, up until this point, that I have tried to stay abreast of new technologies and have always planned to use them in my classroom. However, upon taking the survey and analyzing the Standards, I learned there are several areas where I might be somewhat deficient and need to devote some time and effort in my future classroom planning. I feel that I am strong in using the web and handling a computer overall; I have no fear of technology, which I think is a strength in today's world. In terms of the UNI survey, I was able to rate myself as a "Practitioner" or "Apprentice" in nearly every area except using graphic organizers for brainstorming and decision-making, in which I was a "Novice." I have seen this type of software utilized in the past, but I have never used it myself. I feel that where I plan to teach Language Arts, this type of software would be extremely beneficial for me when teaching brainstorming and concept-mapping. I found a great tool online, Bubbl, that creates concept maps for free. I intend to use this tool in my classroom and as a goal, search for other, more robust, tools regarding these types of graphic organizers.
From the NET Standards list, I feel that I may be lacking in two areas: creating tools for diverse learners, and using technology for assessment and evaluation. To address the assessment issue, I was able to locate an Instructional Technology podcast series hosted by Richard A. Smith and Caroline M. Crawford from The University of Houston, Clear Lake, entitled "Technology in the Irving Independent School District." Irving ISD is a school district in Texas with award-winning technology utilization. In the most recent podcast, Sam Farsaii specifically addresses assessment and evaluation, among many other topics related to the Irving ISD as one of the top school districts in Texas. In this series, there are many other discussions related to assessment and evaluation, so it appears to be relevant and ongoing.
In regards to using technology as a tool to address diversity, I was reminded of a friend of mine who teaches at a college in Boston, MA. She recently started a project with a group of students using photography to capture images of the city's homeless population, Photography and the Human Condition. I feel that using technology in this way is a great avenue for addressing diversity in the classroom. This type of project allows each student to contribute from their own point of view, but also allows students to look outside of themselves to learn. I feel like this type of collaborative technology is very beneficial for students, because this is a medium that they have grown up with and understand. It is my goal to set up some type of collaborative blog with each of my classes where students will contribute and share information with one another online. Through UEN, there is a summer workshop entitled, "Creating Online Educational Media" that would be a helpful professional development course leading toward creating more tools to use in the classroom's online environment. I am impressed with the number of offerings from UEN on multimedia and online technology. The Internet is also ripe with information for just about any topic related to education and using technology in the classroom. When we were creating our digital stories, I appreciated the ideas of sharing and collaborative effort among educators in the online environment across the globe. This why I believe that technology can be used successfully in the classroom. It is important to teach these skills to our students, and the opportunity to learn newer and better ways of utilizing this information is abundant for us as teachers.
From the NET Standards list, I feel that I may be lacking in two areas: creating tools for diverse learners, and using technology for assessment and evaluation. To address the assessment issue, I was able to locate an Instructional Technology podcast series hosted by Richard A. Smith and Caroline M. Crawford from The University of Houston, Clear Lake, entitled "Technology in the Irving Independent School District." Irving ISD is a school district in Texas with award-winning technology utilization. In the most recent podcast, Sam Farsaii specifically addresses assessment and evaluation, among many other topics related to the Irving ISD as one of the top school districts in Texas. In this series, there are many other discussions related to assessment and evaluation, so it appears to be relevant and ongoing.
In regards to using technology as a tool to address diversity, I was reminded of a friend of mine who teaches at a college in Boston, MA. She recently started a project with a group of students using photography to capture images of the city's homeless population, Photography and the Human Condition. I feel that using technology in this way is a great avenue for addressing diversity in the classroom. This type of project allows each student to contribute from their own point of view, but also allows students to look outside of themselves to learn. I feel like this type of collaborative technology is very beneficial for students, because this is a medium that they have grown up with and understand. It is my goal to set up some type of collaborative blog with each of my classes where students will contribute and share information with one another online. Through UEN, there is a summer workshop entitled, "Creating Online Educational Media" that would be a helpful professional development course leading toward creating more tools to use in the classroom's online environment. I am impressed with the number of offerings from UEN on multimedia and online technology. The Internet is also ripe with information for just about any topic related to education and using technology in the classroom. When we were creating our digital stories, I appreciated the ideas of sharing and collaborative effort among educators in the online environment across the globe. This why I believe that technology can be used successfully in the classroom. It is important to teach these skills to our students, and the opportunity to learn newer and better ways of utilizing this information is abundant for us as teachers.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
4 April-Internet Safety
This week we began creating our Internet Safety Campaign. I think that when most people hear the term "internet safety" it evokes a narrow concept regarding sites that contain pornography or other deemed socially unacceptable information. However, it's interesting to really understand how encompassing online safety actually is. It's a much broader topic that also includes knowledge about and protection from dishonesty, plagiarism, and cheating. What is further disturbing, is just how much of this seemingly socially unacceptable information is easily available and how blurred the lines have become between what is socially acceptable and unacceptable since the drastic increase in the overall pervasiveness of the internet.
It is so much more difficult as an educator to patrol the gathering of information and production of original works by students. Just recently, a friend suggested to me that I become a "tutor" for a popular online homework assistance site. The site is largely blocked from view until a user obtains a username and password. I signed up, but I was quickly unimpressed by how much actual tutoring was occurring versus how much outright cheating is on the site. The site is set up to let students post their "questions" and then a tutor writes a response, and the student user then has the option to purchase the response. Most of the student users are posting full assignments and requesting the tutors to complete the assignments, and then the completed assignment is purchased. Sadly, it is pretty clear from the student users that most of them would greatly benefit in their own educations if they actually completed their own work. I believe that students need to understand the overall diminished integrity of using the internet to cheat and plagiarize work in the name of finishing a class. This method of finishing classes, specifically at the college level, cheapens degrees. It truly proves that everything can be bought and paid for, even the outward appearance of subject-matter knowledge. However, if the question ever arose about that student's ability to actually perform in the subject, they would be severely lacking. Students need to understand that they need to keep themselves and their reputation in tact in the online environment. It is not totally virtual, and is not entirely an intangible environment. As a future Language Arts teacher, I am working to design an Internet Safety Campaign that addresses more than just dabbling in dangerous online activity like pornography. I hope to educate students about maintaining their reputation and integrity in an online environment that offers many enticing opportunities to ruin reputations early in life and may eventually lead to illegal and dangerous behavior.
It is so much more difficult as an educator to patrol the gathering of information and production of original works by students. Just recently, a friend suggested to me that I become a "tutor" for a popular online homework assistance site. The site is largely blocked from view until a user obtains a username and password. I signed up, but I was quickly unimpressed by how much actual tutoring was occurring versus how much outright cheating is on the site. The site is set up to let students post their "questions" and then a tutor writes a response, and the student user then has the option to purchase the response. Most of the student users are posting full assignments and requesting the tutors to complete the assignments, and then the completed assignment is purchased. Sadly, it is pretty clear from the student users that most of them would greatly benefit in their own educations if they actually completed their own work. I believe that students need to understand the overall diminished integrity of using the internet to cheat and plagiarize work in the name of finishing a class. This method of finishing classes, specifically at the college level, cheapens degrees. It truly proves that everything can be bought and paid for, even the outward appearance of subject-matter knowledge. However, if the question ever arose about that student's ability to actually perform in the subject, they would be severely lacking. Students need to understand that they need to keep themselves and their reputation in tact in the online environment. It is not totally virtual, and is not entirely an intangible environment. As a future Language Arts teacher, I am working to design an Internet Safety Campaign that addresses more than just dabbling in dangerous online activity like pornography. I hope to educate students about maintaining their reputation and integrity in an online environment that offers many enticing opportunities to ruin reputations early in life and may eventually lead to illegal and dangerous behavior.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
21 March-Digital Stories 2
This week I have been focused on really developing what I am going to create for my digital story. It has been an enjoyable process, but also challenging and frustrating at times. Last Monday's class focused on not violating copyright and making sure to allow appropriate access to what we create for others. Copyright is such a tricky thing, and has so many gray areas; making sure I produce the story that I want, without violating rights or permissions, is proving to be slightly more difficult than I originally envisioned. No matter, though, I am excited to really dig into the nitty-gritty of production at this point and hopefully produce something that reflects the idea in my head.
As we have worked on digital stories and production pieces (Podcast/Vidcast) the past few weeks, I can see more and more how relevant these tools will be for our future classrooms. I have also learned the value of becoming VERY familiar with the Apple suite of products. I am seriously considering purchasing a Mac because of the wide variety of what can be produced through the ease of their software and operating system. The next generation of students will be even more geared to the full sensory experience because they will have been raised entirely on in that realm of technology. Thus, as teachers, we will have to provide many different angles and techniques in order to effectively teach our material. Using technology to create things like the digital stories will be a necessary tool in our teaching bag of tricks!
As we have worked on digital stories and production pieces (Podcast/Vidcast) the past few weeks, I can see more and more how relevant these tools will be for our future classrooms. I have also learned the value of becoming VERY familiar with the Apple suite of products. I am seriously considering purchasing a Mac because of the wide variety of what can be produced through the ease of their software and operating system. The next generation of students will be even more geared to the full sensory experience because they will have been raised entirely on in that realm of technology. Thus, as teachers, we will have to provide many different angles and techniques in order to effectively teach our material. Using technology to create things like the digital stories will be a necessary tool in our teaching bag of tricks!
Friday, March 11, 2011
14 March-Digital Stories First Reflection
I started out this assignment thinking about how much fun I was going to have. However, I have quickly realized how much work it is to put the Digital Stories together! I have spent this past week scripting and trying to decide the overall look and feel for my presentation. I will admit, there have been some very frustrating moments! I came into this project with a pretty clear vision of what I wanted to produce, but it's amazing how quickly that can change. After five days of really looking at my script and thinking about the direction I want to go, I finally feel like I am making some progress and will be able to produce the product that I envisioned.
I have been amazed as I looked online at how many projects are produced by students using this type of digital storytelling format. It has been many years since I was in junior high and high school, and I look at these projects and think how amazing they are, and how much fun and creative energy is used by students to create them. It brings a whole new perspective to differentiating the learning experience for students in the classroom. I think students learn so much about their content from a project like this. Plus, like was mentioned in class, there are a high percentage of technology-rich jobs that we will be preparing our students for that haven't even been created yet! Our students are going to need these skills to have a shot at success in their lives. So far, I am loving this project, and I can't wait for the opportunity to create additional digital stories like this in the future.
I have been amazed as I looked online at how many projects are produced by students using this type of digital storytelling format. It has been many years since I was in junior high and high school, and I look at these projects and think how amazing they are, and how much fun and creative energy is used by students to create them. It brings a whole new perspective to differentiating the learning experience for students in the classroom. I think students learn so much about their content from a project like this. Plus, like was mentioned in class, there are a high percentage of technology-rich jobs that we will be preparing our students for that haven't even been created yet! Our students are going to need these skills to have a shot at success in their lives. So far, I am loving this project, and I can't wait for the opportunity to create additional digital stories like this in the future.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
7 March-Vidcast Reflection
During Monday's class, we took the Podcast one step further and created Vidcasts, or an "Enhanced Podcast." I worked again with Angelina Dulong, and together we created an "Introduction to Grammar" vidcast. Angelina and I are both working toward teaching junior high or high school Language Arts, and grammar is an important component in that subject. However, students often feel annoyed and frustrated with grammar, and ask the age-old question of, "why do we have to learn this?" Angelina and I put this Caveman Photostory together as a fun introductory way of addressing the very simplest notion of grammar, which is that without words and specific types of words, communication would be very difficult and nearly impossible. Much of the core requirement for secondary English is to improve upon and gain new tools (reading, writing, presenting) in order to be a better and more successful communicator. Understanding grammar is one of the first steps on the path to becoming a successful communicator.
Unfortunately, this vidcast series would probably run its course rather quickly. It is a great tool for introducing simple and initial concepts related to grammar, but would not suffice for more complicated and deeper analysis further into the study of the individual parts of speech. However, I could easily use this vidcast in my future classroom, as I think it would have particular appeal for students at the junior high or middle school level. I would expand the vidcast to cover several additional parts of speech and use it to begin my initial classroom discussion on grammar and parts of speech.
Unfortunately, this vidcast series would probably run its course rather quickly. It is a great tool for introducing simple and initial concepts related to grammar, but would not suffice for more complicated and deeper analysis further into the study of the individual parts of speech. However, I could easily use this vidcast in my future classroom, as I think it would have particular appeal for students at the junior high or middle school level. I would expand the vidcast to cover several additional parts of speech and use it to begin my initial classroom discussion on grammar and parts of speech.
Monday, February 14, 2011
21 February-Podcasts
Today we spent the class period writing and recording our Podcasts. I worked with Angelina Dulong as a team. We wrote our storyboard rather quickly and wanted to try to get everything recorded during the class period. We were able to record using my iPad by quickly downloading software capable of recording the Podcast on the spot. We downloaded a free tool called Audio Memos Free that made a clear and quality recording. It amazes me how fast and available technology makes assignments like this. When I was a little girl, one of my favorite games to play with my sister was "radio station." We used to spend hours recording ourselves talking on a small tape recorder, and we were always burning through batteries and recording over audio tapes so many times that the tape would wear out or break. Using my iPad was such a seamless and easy process! We had to re-record three times, and the whole thing still only took about five minutes. My biggest frustration has been that my iPad has been unwilling, thus far, to email the file to Angelina and me. I suppose I will have to go to my office computer and manually download the file to email it. But still, a minor obstacle in comparison to what this assignment would have been 10-15 years ago.
I think Podcasts are a very useful tool for my future classroom. I can see the capability for recording an assignment or lecture and posting it for my students to download. However, even more so, I can see the functionality for my students to record presentations and other parts of assignments to share with their classmates. This type of interactive media makes the classroom and learning resources more accessible than ever before.
I think Podcasts are a very useful tool for my future classroom. I can see the capability for recording an assignment or lecture and posting it for my students to download. However, even more so, I can see the functionality for my students to record presentations and other parts of assignments to share with their classmates. This type of interactive media makes the classroom and learning resources more accessible than ever before.
Friday, February 11, 2011
14 February-UEN
UEN (Utah Education Network) has a wealth of information available for teachers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education. It is a great website for conducting research, playing games, developing lesson plans, and finding resources. UEN is free to the educational community, making it an accessible resource for the masses.
In this age of information overload, it is critical for students to understand how to access and decipher high-quality information. Pioneer Library provides easy to follow links to many trusted and peer-reviewed resources that are appropriate for student assignments and research. One such resource available through the Pioneer Library is the Mountain West Digital Library. The MWDL is a collection that was put together by an academic library consortium in Utah, Nevada, and other neighboring western states. This collection contains many documents, photographs, and other historical artifacts unique to Utah and the western United States. I envision using a resource like this to fulfill the core curriculum standard on inquiry, research, and oral presentation, by utilizing the information to complete a research and writing project on local history.
Another resource on UEN that I found to have great application for teachers is the Lesson Plan Tool. This tool is located on the personal page once you have logged in to UEN. This tool assists the teacher in fulfilling all of the objectives in creating a lesson plan, while concurrently creating an archived record of the lesson plan. This is very helpful! Lesson plans will be available and easily accessible each time the teacher signs in to UEN. I intend to enter lesson plans that I have already created into this feature and continue using it in my future classroom.
Interactives are a great tool offered in many places on UEN. Interactives can include games, tutorials, homework helps, and various other means to assist students. Because I will be teaching Language Arts, I have been interested in the many interactives offered for writing, grammar, and other study topics related to language. One such application, readwritethink (http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/) has many beneficial interactives. There are interactive tools to create a Literary Elements Map, a Drama Map, interactive puzzles, and many, many more applications that give students a starting point and help them learn and develop their ideas into quality assignments. These tools are all developed with core curriculum in mind, and many of them support reading and writing standards as outlined by the state of Utah.
Students today, and in future generations, will increasingly go online to study and learn. If we teach them early in their education how to use safe and reliable internet sites, it will greatly improve their chances for success in the collegiate environment. Not only that, but it will also benefit them in every technological facet of their adult lives and careers.
Monday, January 31, 2011
7 February - Google Part II
Today we really dug deep into Google Sites and learned what it had to offer as website builders. As with everything Google, what a great site! Just like Doc Waters pointed out during class, this site offers almost everything needed to create a website, and all for free and in an understandable format! I was a college student during the mid-90's when having an online presence really came into being in the mainstream. I knew many people who paid monthly subscription fees to have their "domain name" for classroom sites and other small business needs. Of course, paying for a domain name still makes sense if your online presence needs to be maximized, but for the regular Joe who might be teaching a classroom or organizing a group on a smaller scale, Google Sites is an easy and free way to accomplish an accessible online presence. I am always impressed with how user-friendly everything Google seems to be. Once you understand the basic mechanics for using Google, you can produce and edit original material easily and intuitively.
I enjoyed building my classroom website and intend to continue using it long after I have left EDSC 3250. For me, it has already become a work in progress. It is a virtual file cabinet that is easy to add to and edit down, based on my future needs. With a few tweaks here and there, it will be a site that will be ready to go when I start my own classroom. Aside from some of the lesson plans I have created in other classes (which I will obviously be incorporating into my Google Docs files), I can't think of a better and more practical tool to leave UVU with. I really appreciate that we are learning strategies and truly building our "bag of tricks" in EDSC 3250 this semester. I feel like it is this type of realistic preparation that will really benefit me in the long run.
I enjoyed building my classroom website and intend to continue using it long after I have left EDSC 3250. For me, it has already become a work in progress. It is a virtual file cabinet that is easy to add to and edit down, based on my future needs. With a few tweaks here and there, it will be a site that will be ready to go when I start my own classroom. Aside from some of the lesson plans I have created in other classes (which I will obviously be incorporating into my Google Docs files), I can't think of a better and more practical tool to leave UVU with. I really appreciate that we are learning strategies and truly building our "bag of tricks" in EDSC 3250 this semester. I feel like it is this type of realistic preparation that will really benefit me in the long run.
Monday, January 24, 2011
31 January - Google Part 1
Ah, the fantastic world of Google! To begin, I am a big fan of Google. I have been using the Google Calendar and Google Docs (and, of course, Gmail) for quite some time now in my personal life, and I think they are phenomenal tools for the online world in which most of us reside. The best part about Google for me, though, is the cost. Free! It doesn't get better than that. For my current job as a librarian, I often begin my research in Google Scholar and Google Books to see what resources I can gather before I begin the treacherous journey through the "paid" databases. Often, the kind of information I am looking for cannot be found in a free environment, but I am typically able to locate "jumping-off points" in Google that make my searching elsewhere much more productive. I believe that if most students understand how to find those initial starting points using Google, they will have an easier time locating authentic sources in other places.
As I said earlier, I have been using Google Docs for about a year with a church group that I am a part of. It has made life so much easier to create documents, put them out there, edit them, and view them whenever is convenient. Today, while we were working in this application in class, I couldn't help but think how easy it would be to use this tool when I am part of a team or department at a school. The documents stay closed to the group, but everyone within the group is able to have the most current version of the document available at all times. It saves someone the effort of revising the document and sending out a new attachment, and members of the group always trying to figure out which attachment is the most current. What a great tool! I also think the calendaring feature in Google is a great link for a classroom web page. Like the calendar we utilize in SCED 3250, due dates and activities are clear and posted. I have been assisting a junior-high-aged neighbor of mine with his homework for the past few months. Thankfully, the History teacher has a calendar posted on her UEN website, making it much easier for me to keep my little friend on track. I will definitely be using this tool in my own classroom.
In my estimation, there is a reason that Google has become a familiar part of the world's vocabulary in the past 10 years (and not just as a noun, but also as a verb)...it's valuable!
As I said earlier, I have been using Google Docs for about a year with a church group that I am a part of. It has made life so much easier to create documents, put them out there, edit them, and view them whenever is convenient. Today, while we were working in this application in class, I couldn't help but think how easy it would be to use this tool when I am part of a team or department at a school. The documents stay closed to the group, but everyone within the group is able to have the most current version of the document available at all times. It saves someone the effort of revising the document and sending out a new attachment, and members of the group always trying to figure out which attachment is the most current. What a great tool! I also think the calendaring feature in Google is a great link for a classroom web page. Like the calendar we utilize in SCED 3250, due dates and activities are clear and posted. I have been assisting a junior-high-aged neighbor of mine with his homework for the past few months. Thankfully, the History teacher has a calendar posted on her UEN website, making it much easier for me to keep my little friend on track. I will definitely be using this tool in my own classroom.
In my estimation, there is a reason that Google has become a familiar part of the world's vocabulary in the past 10 years (and not just as a noun, but also as a verb)...it's valuable!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
17 January - Introduction
I have many educational heroes who have inspired me and led to this point in my academic life and my career life. There have been so many teachers who have given me time and attention and have taken an interest in me personally. I can think back through my school years and remember each teacher, some with intense gratitude and fondness, and others with only a passing remembrance. However, I have two educational heroes that stand out from the rest. These two are very close to my heart: my mother and grandmother. My grandmother was a depression-era woman who was smart and quick and probably 50 years ahead of her time. She progressed rapidly through school because of her intelligence and graduated from high school with the intention of becoming a nurse. However, that dream was stymied by her poor economic standing. She went to work as a secretary, and soon found herself with five children. Unfortunately, she was also twice-divorced, and found herself the soul support of those five children. As a secretary in a brokerage, she often told me stories of how she would solve complicated mathematical equations for brokers who were making three times her salary, as well as advise them on their sales and other business. She could have easily been a broker herself, if she hadn't been a divorced mother of five with only a high school education. She fiercely taught her children and grandchildren the importance of gaining an education. Three of her five children went on to obtain college educations. I have often thought about her and what a wonderful nurse she would have been.
My second hero is my mom. With the influence of my grandmother, she knew she wanted more in life than what a high school education could provide. She entered college knowing that she would become a teacher. By the time she was a junior in college, she was teaching in the department. Upon graduating with her Bachelor's degree in Business Education, the university offered her a permanent position in the department, provided she would continue her education. She did continue and enjoyed a wonderful teaching career at that same university. She instilled in her children a love of learning and a love of school. Three of her four children (one of which is me!) have now completed at least one degree (in most cases, several degrees) and my remaining sibling has finally realized the value of education and has returned to school.
Both of these women had a great impact on me, always encouraging me and pushing me to go a little further. At one point during my first undergraduate degree, I was struggling with the university, my courses, and life in general. My grandmother wrote me a letter (despite the fact that I spoke with her on the phone nearly daily) telling me that there was not anything I could not accomplish if I decided I was going to accomplish it. The gentle but firm way she phrased much of her letter was a strength to me then, and is still a strength to me now--even though she has been gone now nearly 13 years. I am grateful she decided to put pen to paper so that I would have a lasting memory of her lesson in determination! Mixed with the encouragement and support that I have always received--and continue to receive almost daily--from my mother, I always know that I have generations of strong women preceding me in my journey. I can become what I now know I want to become: a teacher. Despite the struggles financially and physically on this fourth trip back to college, I know I can finish and make my contribution to the field of education.
Education in America is always changing. With the rapid changes in technology, it is more important than ever that teachers have the knowledge to empower their students to succeed in the larger world. The classroom is the gateway to the universe. After being "in the world" and working in several different industries over the past 15 years, I know now that one of the best fields to be in is education. I look forward to taking the skills that I learn in this class into my future classroom. I know it will benefit my future students, and I know that it will also benefit me and future generations in my family.
My second hero is my mom. With the influence of my grandmother, she knew she wanted more in life than what a high school education could provide. She entered college knowing that she would become a teacher. By the time she was a junior in college, she was teaching in the department. Upon graduating with her Bachelor's degree in Business Education, the university offered her a permanent position in the department, provided she would continue her education. She did continue and enjoyed a wonderful teaching career at that same university. She instilled in her children a love of learning and a love of school. Three of her four children (one of which is me!) have now completed at least one degree (in most cases, several degrees) and my remaining sibling has finally realized the value of education and has returned to school.
Both of these women had a great impact on me, always encouraging me and pushing me to go a little further. At one point during my first undergraduate degree, I was struggling with the university, my courses, and life in general. My grandmother wrote me a letter (despite the fact that I spoke with her on the phone nearly daily) telling me that there was not anything I could not accomplish if I decided I was going to accomplish it. The gentle but firm way she phrased much of her letter was a strength to me then, and is still a strength to me now--even though she has been gone now nearly 13 years. I am grateful she decided to put pen to paper so that I would have a lasting memory of her lesson in determination! Mixed with the encouragement and support that I have always received--and continue to receive almost daily--from my mother, I always know that I have generations of strong women preceding me in my journey. I can become what I now know I want to become: a teacher. Despite the struggles financially and physically on this fourth trip back to college, I know I can finish and make my contribution to the field of education.
Education in America is always changing. With the rapid changes in technology, it is more important than ever that teachers have the knowledge to empower their students to succeed in the larger world. The classroom is the gateway to the universe. After being "in the world" and working in several different industries over the past 15 years, I know now that one of the best fields to be in is education. I look forward to taking the skills that I learn in this class into my future classroom. I know it will benefit my future students, and I know that it will also benefit me and future generations in my family.
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