Reflection

**All links are highlighted in yellow**

My reflection of this semesters Intro to Technology for Teachers

When I look back and think about when this semester first started I cannot believe how fast time has went by. I did not think that I would learn much from this class, but my opinion has totally changed. I am leaving this class with new knowledge of the different technologies I can use as a teacher, and how to incorporate them. 

Photocredit to Keso on Flickr

I did not really enjoy class discussions before I started this class because I thought that they were pointless. In my previous classes I had to do discussions, but they were not so in depth like these are. The discussions for this class helped me learn how to cite all my worth that I do. I learned how to critique fellows classmates work the right way. I also learned how to discuss and answer the question that was given in each discussions. I would say that that I enjoyed having to do the discussions this semester.

The blogs that we had to do really helped me learn/ associate the things I read in the textbook. Usually it is difficult for me to take time to read a whole chapter and really understand what I read. These blogs help me read the chapter piece by piece and write about what I read and learned. I think it is a great idea to have your future classes do blogs on books because it really is a good way to break the text down. I am going to recap one thing that I learned in every chapter.

Chapter 1: 

• How new technologies create new opportunities for teaching and learning. 

Chapter 2: 

• How students can express their creativity.

Chapter 3:  

• How to create lesson plans with technology. 

Chapter 4: 

• How to integrate technology.

Chapter 5: 

• How to show students the right way to search the internet. 

Chapter 6:

• Why/ How social bookmarking, bookmarking, and information alerts are useful to teachers. 

Chapter 7:

• How to use computer games and stimulation as learning resources. 

Chapter 8:

• How to use websites and/or blogs to improve teaching. 

Chapter 9:

• How to create power point presentations for maximum teaching and learning. 

Chapter 10:

• How to incorporate technology to create universally designed classrooms. 

Chapter 11:

• How to use performance based assessments in the class.  

I believe my top 5 assignments of this class are: 

1. All the Journal Post
2. Teacher Webpage EPortfolio 
3. Website Evaluation 
4. Power Point
5. Discussion Topic #1

I would not change any of these assignments for the semesters to come. These assignments were my favorite to do out of everything in the class. My two least favorite would have to be the two collaborative projects. I would love group projects if I was physically going to class. I find it a bit difficult to communicate with people on group projects online because everyone has a different schedule. For both the assignments the communication was limited. I would not mind doing them again, but rather not do it in a group project. That is just my opinion. 

My favorite video of the semester is the one that goes along with web evaluation/ rubric.  I feel like you used the right examples and expl of how to complete this project. 

I can honestly say out of the three classes that I am taking this semester I have learned the most from this class. When I look back I can actually remember what I learned in this class, whereas the other classes I can not. I feel that all the learning outcomes that I read about in the syllabus where achieved in this class. I can also honestly say this is the first class in a while that I will carry on the material with me as a student, and future teacher. 

Photo credit to Garik_k on flickr 

Chapter 11 Engaging Teachers and Students in Learning and Self- Reflection

*All links are highlighted in yellow* 

Focus Question: What is performance based assessment for teachers and for students? 

• Teachers can use norm-reference tests, criterion-referenced test, standards-based assessments, and performance-based assessments to evaluate their students. Supervisors can use these same assessments to evaluate teachers. 
• Performance evaluation bases assessment on work completed rather than test taken, including such performance area as student writing, individuality and group projects, homework assignments, individual presentations and performances, open book exams, student self-assessment, and teacher observations. 
• Performance evaluation has a dual focus for teachers- they are continually evaluating their students while their supervisors are continually evaluating them. 
• Technology is a powerful tool for assessing students and teachers performance because it allows individuals to display the actual real-world learning they have experiences in the classroom. 

Photo Credit to Odegaard Library on Flickr 

I believe that teachers only get better when they understand if the students are truly learning or not. One was a teacher can verify that the students are learning the material that is needed by an assessment test. Teachers can come to the conclusion that the way they are teaching works when the entire class is getting answers right, if the entire class is getting answers wrong than the teacher can safely say she has to try something new. The teacher can also create an assessment for each individual student to let them know how she feels they are doing in the class. There is a thing called new teacher assessment is when other faulty evaluate how you are teaching in order to get your teaching license. There are many different assessments that are within a school system, we have to make sure that we are constantly using them. These evaluations will only make us better educators for our students. 

Tech Tools 11.2: Survey Monkey

The tech tool for this week goes along with my focus question above. The tech tool link is a program where teachers could make a survey to give to students to see how the teacher is performing. Also the teacher could fill out a survey for each student to give them feedback on how they are doing. The definition of Survey Monkey is an easy-to-use online survey tool with multiple ways to formulate questions and collect information. When you go to the website click on how it works to start your process. I would 100% recommend this site because it is extremely easy to navigate, and it can generate performance based assessments

Summary & Connection:

It’s sad to say that this is the last chapter of the book. It has been fun doing these blogs each week because it really does help you understand what each chapter has been about. It is a nice easy way to read an entire book for a class without becoming overwhelmed. The chapter this week has been about different assessments that take place in a school setting. There is even an assessment that is taken place before you can get your license for teaching. It is important that a person does well on that assessment because it may cause them not to get there license to teach. I also learned how to incorporate digital journals into my classroom to have a better connection with students. The only disadvantage is that a person has to have knowledge and skills for the technical part of it. An advantage to assessments is that the teacher could ask questions to see how the students would relate to the information being taught. If students are having "fun" while learning the will pay more attention, and retain what they learn. One last thing before I go, always make student participation a goal in your class. It is important that the students get involved with what you are teaching so you can assess that they are learning, and what you are doing is correct. I hope you have enjoyed my blogs  I can truly say I will miss this part of the class. 

Teaching Assessment Techniques 

Assessment Measures

Sneak Peak on How to Create a Digital Portfolio 

References: 

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010).Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.

Chapter 10 Promoting Success for All Students through Technology

*All links are highlighted in yellow*

Focus Question: How can teachers use technology to create universally designed classrooms? 

• Every student benefits from a wide and varied range of educational experiences that can activate her or his talents and potentials as a learner.
• Teachers are Teachers are crucial gatekeepers in how learning proceeds in schools and classrooms. They  either move students forward with lively and demanding instruction or they separate students according to perceive needs and talents. 
• Differentiated instruction (DI) and universal design for learning (UDL) involve changing in institutional practices and classroom structures to promote learning success for every student. 

Photo credit to Amanda P.WU on Flickr 

Universal design, a concept from the field of architectures is at the center of new approaches to how schools can serve all students well (Maloy, 2010, p. 279). When teachers create a universal designed classroom it can accommodate any type of student. Like I have said in previous blogs teachers have to learn how to accommodate everyone in the classroom because everyone learns differently. There are two key terms that teachers should remember; 

• DI which stands for Differentiated Instruction- is an instructional approach that gives students "Multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas" (Hall, 2007). 
• UDL which stands for Universal Design for Learning- is the application of universal design principles to educational settings. 

Those two words help the teacher remember what the idea is for universal design in a classroom.  Also the purpose of universal designed classroom is full participation and access for students with disabilities while providing individualized options for all (Maloy, 2010, p.279).  To differentiate technologies in your classroom think about low-tech, mid tech, and high tech.  Low tech refers to changes that are made easily, inexpensively, and without applying digital or electronic materials (Maloy, 2010, p.281). Med tech refers to substantive shifts in organization and delivery of curriculum that may include the use of electronic materials (Maloy, 2010, p. 281). High tech refers to changes associated with the integration of computers and other specialized information technologies in the classroom (Maloy, 2010, p.282). As a teacher just take the time to assess your students, and use whatever technology is going to fir best for them. 

Tech Tools 10.1: Calculators

I always get stumped when there are limited tech tools to choose from. Usually I like to incorporate the tech tools with my focus question, but this week I will have to talk about something else. Teachers have to learn how to deal with anything that is thrown their way. This week tech tools website is about calculators. This website is supposed to help you with different kind of calculators and how to use them. The first thing that I notice when I log into the website is the dark blue background. It is very distracting. Then, I notice the massive amounts of different links. It is very distracting trying to find what you are looking for, and there is no internal search bar to narrow down what you are looking for. I do not think I would recommend this page for people to use. I would try searching whatever calculator you are looking for individually. 

Summary & Connection: 

It is sad to say that this is the second to the last blog I will be doing for this semester. As the chapters have gone by everything is mixing in together little by little. This chapter has been about the different technologies that are available to teachers to help bring together the diverse learning in the class. No matter what the curriculum is find a way to incorporate technology into it to create a universally designed classroom. That is the way to bring all the students in the class as one. Make sure that everyone feels comfortable with the way that the technology is being incorporated. It is beneficial that they are assistive technologies that can be accessed to students without any barrier, while maximizing opportunities for learning (Maloy, 2010, p.300).  I also learned that technology is important for writing because it is usually helps students express themselves in way they cannot do on paper.  Different technologies are effective in different parts of writing process, including prewriting/ brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing (Maloy, 2010, p.293). 

UDL in the Classroom

Differentiated Learning 

References: 

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010).Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.

Chapter 9 Creating and Sharing Information with Multimedia Technologies

*All links are highlighted in yellow*

Focus Question: How can teachers create PowerPoint presentations for maximum teaching potential and learning impact? 

• Multimedia technologies offer ways for teachers to incorporate dynamic information presentation experiences into classroom teaching and learning. 
• PowerPoint, one of the most widely used computer applications in the world , is a way for teachers and students to present information in visually engaging ways.
• The use of PowerPoint has been criticize for oversimplifying complex material and creating uninteresting presentations. 
• Using PowerPoint effectively requires teachers to pay attention to two information presentation design principles, the first being to stress active participation rather than passive viewing by students, and the second to inquire who the audience is and what the audience should leave knowing or remembering. 

Photo Credit to Paul Watson on Flickr

PowerPoint presentations are becoming the easiest way to teach valuable information the students will remember. It is a short easy way to get the information across to not only students, but an audience without losing their focus. There are millions of copies of PowerPoint in circulation, and the tools are widely used in schools (Maloy, 2010, p. 245). It is hard to keep students focus with a lengthy set of information because they are going to lose interest to things that drag on. When teachers create a PowerPoint they can add videos, music, colors, themes, designs, ect, to keep the information visual appealing to students. Also teachers should make sure the PowerPoint has information presentation design. Which means the arrangement of written and pictorial information so that its intended audiences can easily and clearly understand it (Maloy, 2010, p. 247). Teachers should realize that they need to create fun lesson plans for students because when a student’s engages in what they are learning they will remember it. Most schools are starting to get active boards in the classroom, and that is what most PowerPoint presentation would be shown on. As stated in chapter one active boards are the new way to present information from a teachers computer to the entire class. 

Tech Tools 9.1: National Teacher Training Institute 

If teachers are having trouble creating media rich lesson plans I would recommend that they use the website above. This website is a video resource for teachers featuring lesson plans written by teachers (Maloy, 2010, p. 252). The website is very easy to navigate and is straight to the point. Once you are on the website there will be a tab that says "Lesson Plan Database", click on it. Then it will give you different school subjects to pick from. Whichever subject you pick there will be many databases to choose from that can help create video rich lesson plans. We have to keep the students interested and focused on learning, so I highly recommend looking through this page for lesson plan ideas.  

Summary & Connection: 

The chapter this week has been a reinforcement of the PowerPoint presentation that I have recently have done. Always make sure that when creating PowerPoint that they are short and simple. Once you lose the students attention it will be difficult for them to actually retain what is being taught. Remember students will pay attention to anything that is visual appealing to them. Classroom should start to have multimedia learning. Multimedia learning happens when teachers combine spoken words with visuals or written text with audio or utilize simulations and models (Maloy, 2010, p. 243). It is proven that students learn better with a multimedia classroom, than if they did not have any technology in the class. Videos are another great way to get information to students because a teacher can pause and rewind when someone does not understand, or needs the information. Teachers could also make or find a video presentation that comes with questions after every section. Then the teacher can pause the video and have the students answer the questions, than play it so they find out the answers. Or the teacher can just have the students answer questions and turn them in for a grade to ensure they were paying attention. There is also a technology called a podcast. With podcast teachers make new opportunities to learn academic material outside the classroom by hearing new opportunities to learn academic material outside the classroom by hearing or viewing lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and summaries (Maloy, 2010, p.272). 

This video is a short example of how to create a Podcast.

This video is a short video on how to create a PowerPoint. 

Reference: 

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010).Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.

Chapter 8 Communication and Networking with Websites, Blog, Wikis, and More

*All links are highlighted in yellow*

Focus Question: How can teachers use a website or blog to improve teaching and learning?

• Websites and blogs are emerging as one of the most important ways for teachers to communicate with students, families, and colleagues. 
• There are three basic types of education-related blogs: 
1. "Official face" blogs
2. single purpose blogs
3. active learning blogs 
• Teachers have three options for creating their own website or blog:
1. A do it yourself option
2. A commercially available option
3. An open source option 

Photo Credit to ajSEO on Flickr

It is becoming a rare thing that a teacher is not using some sort of technology in their classroom. Teachers are generally building one of two kinds of sites teacher/ classroom websites, and blogs (Maloy, 2010, p. 217). When teachers build websites they are generally using them to highlight who they are and what they have accomplished. It may also show information about your classes, and work students have done (Maloy, 2010, p. 217).  Teachers may put additional work on their websites so that students can use it for more practice. I had a teacher in high school that would put extra credit and fun educational games on the website for students. The educational games that were on her website always refereed back to the material being taught. Also a website could give the students a heads up of the material and lessons that would be taught throughout the year. A teacher’s blog is like their personal web journal that the public can read. Blogs are not only useful for student interaction, but also for fellow educators. Students can comment on posted blogs by teachers who have asked them to answer a question. Students can also read other students comments (Risinger, 2006, April, p.130). It does not matter which sources a teacher end up using because their focus is integrating technology.

Teach tools 8.1: Blogger

Creating a blog is very easy to do, as long as the website is easy to navigate. Blogger is one of my favorite websites to use to create a blog. I have used it a numerous of times in high school for my digital design class. After each project that we did, we had to create a blog to express what we did, and how we felt about it. At first I thought that it was going to be a drag to do this every week. As I became comfortable with the website I learned that it is a great way to express yourself. When someone is creating a blog they can choose between different background styles, font, color text, color highlighting, insert links/ videos, and also add pictures. The creativity of making your own blog is endless. You could write a blog to share with the world, or keep it as your own private journal. After you publish your blog you always have the option to change it to private or public. I would recommend using blogger because it has many features, and is easy to use.          

Summary & Connection: 

The chapter this week has taught me about websites, blogs, email, online discussions, and wikis. I cannot stress enough how important it is to use technology with students. I believe when teachers us different kinds of modern technology they will have a higher success rate in their class. When teachers incorporate something that the students will enjoy, students will pay more attention to their assignments. According to the text book transforming learning with new technology I have come up with a description of everything that I have learned. Websites are Internet sites developed by teachers to communicate information about themselves and their class to students, family members, school, and educational personnel. Blogs are publicly assailable online journals written by individuals; such as, teachers and for others; such as, students, families, and other educators to read and comment on. Emails/ instant messaging are forms of online communication that features short electronic exchanges between individuals, such as between teachers, students, family members, administrative, and educational personnel. Online discussions are electronic forums where teachers and students discuss educational topics. Online discussions are a common component of many teachers’ websites and blogs. Lastly wikis come from the Hawaiian word meaning "quick" or "rapidly", and are websites that teachers and students create together by reading and revising each other's ideas and comments. (Maloy, 2010, p. 208)

I believe this video is a good example of how to create a wiki page. 

This video is like a basic tutorial for blogger. 

References: 

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010).Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.

Chapter 7 Problem Solving and Inquiry Learning with Software and Web Tools

*All links are highlighted in yellow*

Focus Question: How can teachers use computer games and simulations as learning resources? 

• Students today play computer, video, Web-based games regularly for entertainment; boys are heavier users of video games rather than girls  a fact that contrast with fewer gender differences in most other areas of technology use and online activities. 
• The educational impact of gaming experiences remains intensely debated-- some educators and psychologist see little value in games or gaming while other researchers envision exciting possibilities for learning when students use the intellectual skills needed in effective game playing for educational purpose. 
• Digital games for learning represent a new category of educational themed games that emphasize active learning, sustained concentration and focus, and innovative problem solving. 
• Strategies for effectively using games in the classroom include minimizing those that teach isolated skills, carefully choosing games that are solely based on winning or losing points, discussing game content with students, and actually playing games with your students. 

Photo Credit to Harryjacob2911 from Flickr. 

In today's world more than half of the Unites States families have a computer, I pad, or smartphone in their house hold. It would be the logical thing to do to incorporate these new technologies that are being created into teaching. Students should understand that they can use these items as a form of engaging themselves in learning, and that it can be fun. There is a website that helps students create their own educational game from what they have learned in the class called scratch. I talk about it more in my tech tools 7.1. When using educational games in the classroom it gives the students a chance to explore new learning strategies that the teacher has. When teachers use games the students will be more involved, and are most likely to learn what is being taught. The photograph above is an example of a learning game for a student who is in elementary school. This online game has the student subtract certain numbers, and see what answers they get. When the student is correct they can fine the number that matches theirs with a certain color on the bottom. Once they click on the number and color it will automatically color the picture with the certain color. This game is fun for students because they are coloring the picture, and they cannot wait to see what the final picture will look like. The students are engaged in the activity and want to do well to see how their picture will turn out. If a game is educational I say use it as a tool in the class for information reinforcement. 

Tech Tools 7.1: Scratch 

There were only three teach tools thing week that I could choose from, so I chose that one that went along with the focus question. The website that I looked up is called Scratch. This website is a beneficial website that teachers and students could use. The students can go to the website and create their own educational game, animated story, and interactive art (Maloy, 2010, p. 185). It is free to sign up for this website, as long as the student or teacher has a valid email account. Once an account is set up, they can see project that other people have made. Also the website is very easy to navigate. In the home page there is a button that says "Get Started" and when clicked on it gives step by step instructions on how to get started. I feel that anyone would be able to navigate this website because it is self-explanatory. It is a different experience when the students get to create their own work to teach themselves. Here students follow their own initiatives, learning from those activities with feedback, and support from the teacher (Maloy, 2010, p.185)

Summary & Connection: 

The chapter this week has been about how teachers could use computer games as a way to teach. Some people might think that it has no educational value for students to play games, but I believe they are wrong. When teachers teach they have to keep in mind that their material has to be appealing to the students. If a class is boring it is likely that the students would not want to pay any attention. On the other hand when a teacher makes the lesson plans appealing to the students, they are more likely to pay attention to what is being taught. Also when you give the students an opportunity for them to create their own game based on what they know, it gives them a sense of freedom to express themselves. Students will be confident in their knowledge when the teacher gives them positive feedback. A teacher can determine what software to use in their class by evaluating the effectiveness of it. If a software program is not going to benefit the students, then there is no point in using it. Educational software can be evaluated in terms of how it promotes higher order thinking where students engage in analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of what they are learning (Maloy, 2010, p. 203). The school board usually makes the decision if certain software would be valuable to a large amount of students.  They are the ones who usually buy software in bulk for the different schools in the county.  If a teacher is going to use free software for students, they have to make sure that it will be flexible for all students.  A new term that I learned this week is Intelligent Tutoring System; Are powerful new software programs that promote inquiry learning by students through computer responses to student actions (Maloy, 2010, p. 197). Just as a human tutor would help out a student in any subject that they need help, so would this new online tutor. It is a new way to get online help at all times. The online tutor would provide the extra practice the student needs to become better academic learners, and test takers (Maloy, 2010, p. 197). 

Technology in Education

Example of Educational Online Game

References:

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010).Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.

Chapter 6 Teaching with Educational Websites and Other Online Reasources

*All links are highlighted in yellow*

Focus Questions:  How are information management technologies such a bookmarking, social bookmarking, and information alerts useful to teachers?

• Bookmarking, social bookmarking, and information alert technologies enables teachers and their students to manage information electronically. 
• Bookmarking refers to saving website addresses on your computer to access them easily, rather than looking them up repeatedly. 
• Social bookmarking happens when groups of interested people share their Web links electronically in a public Web space. Online tolls such as Delicious, Backflip, and Connotea are useful social bookmarking tools for teachers. Bookmarking services such as Portaportal and Filamentality allow teachers to bookmark a group of sites in a secure space for use by students. 
• Information alerts are electronic notices that receive on their personal computers advertising them that material on requested topics has become available in an online format. 

Photo Credit to Ricardo Barra from Flickr

One thing that always gets me frustrated is when I love a website that I saw, and I forget what the website was called. It is difficult trying to remember every valuable website that I have visited; I know anyone can relate to that. Good thing that as technology progresses we are capable of remembering all the websites that we love with social bookmarking. Social bookmarking expands the concept of individual bookmarking from one user/ one computer to a community of users on many computers (EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative  2005b, May) (Maloy, 2010, p. 146). Bookmarking websites on one’s own Internet window was the only way to save them at one point. As technology progresses websites are being created to help store all types of bookmarks that people love. People are not restricted anymore to using the same computer all the time to access their bookmarks, but can be anywhere in the world accessing their bookmarks with Internet access. It is an essential for teachers to create a profile on Delicious, Backflip, Connotea, Goodreads, or Diigo to save their bookmarks because they can reference back to them whenever they please. Teachers could easily create lesson plans anywhere they are by having a profile on one of these social bookmarking websites to easily access their favorite websites. 

Tech Tools Link 6.2: Delicious

At first I have trouble locating this website because the textbook says it is www.del.icio.us.com, when it is really delicious.com. There is no need for the additional periods separating the words. Delicious is a website where anyone, even teachers, can create an account to save their favorite websites. It is free to create an account on delicious and can be accessed from anyplace that has Internet connection. This website lets a person add, organize, and send any bookmark that they place on the website. Delicious even has a toolbar that can be downloaded to make it more accessible to add bookmarks to delicious.  This makes it easier than having to go to the delicious website every time someone wants to add a bookmark. It is always easier to save bookmarks onto a website because if a bookmark is saved straight to a computer it can only be accessed through that computer. Saving bookmarks to a website gives people a wide range of places they can go, and always having access to their favorite sites to use. I enjoy always having access to my favorite websites, so I would recommend anyone to try it out. 

Summary & Connection:

Who would have ever known so much stuff can be done with the Internet that can benefit teachers. As a future teacher I am always learning something new each week from the textbook, and I know I will always refer back to it after this class is done. This week I have learned that there are many different sites that can be used to save bookmarks onto. It is important to save informational resources on these websites because they can always be retrieved. Teachers can make their lesson plans from anywhere, so it is always important to have access to them at all times. A piece of information that I found valuable to use while making a lesson plan is using education websites to have more interaction with the students. Not only does using the Internet involve incorporating technology to a classroom, it helps students get more practice with the subject they are learning. A term that I have learned that goes along with teachers using the Internet as teaching tool is called digital content. Digital content means to easily accessible source of academic information and new knowledge, the Internet is unparalleled (Maloy, 2010, p.145). Teachers can use this Web-based information to teach the school curriculum (Maloy, 2010, p.145). The internet is evolving from just being a source to surf the web, to being a source of teaching information in the classroom. 

This week I did a video on Webquest because I wanted to learn about them, but it was the one page that was ripped out of my book. So I did my own research on WebQuest and Virtual Field Trips. 

(First two are videos on Web Quest)

(Virtual Field Trip/ Technology)

Resources: 

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010).Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.