Del.icio.us

As a future teacher, I would use Del.icio.us in the classroom to teach my students organizational skills and collaboration tools. It's a great way to involve the students in their own learning, and to give them a role and responsibility in the classroom. Also, the students can collect several resources and share them with each other. This is giving them accountability in what they are learning.

I think I will use this to help students learn how to research, and to challenge them to think outside of the box and become familiar with technology and its benefits.

http://delicious.com/abbymaak

Zotero

This is an example of Zotero on a World War II site. It is a great resource and tool to cite websites and find quotations quickly. I really think it could be a helpful thing to teach and use in the classroom. Using Zotero seems more efficient than any other way to find information on the internet.

Jing Video about Prezi

Here is a link to my Jing Video about Prezi:
http://tinyurl.com/dxdkto

Application to Twitter

Twitter is a very effective tool that can be used by students for collaboration, communication, or just as a social network. But it also has many educational purposes. One certain application I came across was called "Tweet poll". This application allows users with a Twitter account to create a multiple choice poll about any given topic. This gives students so many opportunities to research information or conduct interviews! You can write the question and give as many answers as needed. You can also identify if the person is able to answer more than once. For an example, I conducted a poll titled "Where do you currently reside?" Students were to answer whether they lived on-campus, off-campus, with their parents, or if they had a nomad lifestyle. Eleven people voted, and now I have a sample of the ratio of people living on-campus to off-campus. It also incorporates visual learners by having a pie graph of the findings.

If a teacher used tweet poll in the classroom, the students can discuss the reliability and validity of the outcomes. Students could choose a random sample of people to poll, or focus on a certain people group. Then, the students could compare and contrast the different information they collected between the different groups. Also, if the students wanted to be more involved with users on Twitter, they could specifically ask different people a question about what it was like when they were little. If they asked a generation of people older than them, they could compare how something changed with time.

I think tweet poll is a great toll for students to begin with and explore as they research and discover different facts and information. It is a great tool to poll users, and it's simple and efficient. Students could master this content just by using something interactive like a tweet poll.

Google Sketchup Study Area

Ideal Classroom Scenario Reflection

The topic of our ideal classroom was music, and integrating other subjects into this topic. We also worked to incorporate several different resources that could enhance the lessons and units being taught.

Megan and I selected the topic of music because we both have a passion for the arts, and we wanted to expose every student to the art of music and how it can strengthen the learning experience. We also really wanted to step outside of the traditional classroom and bring in some new technology for the students to experience and be creative. We wanted to point out that music exists in almost every subject, and that the arts are relevant and alive in the curriculum and the world.

While brainstorming about what we wanted to include in our classroom, we researched different types of technology that we could bring into the classroom. When we thought of having a recording studio, everything branched off from that. We needed Garage band software, laptops, instruments, and space to create this. Then, we thought of which subjects we wanted to integrate into our units to teach. We really wanted to bring in different cultures in the classroom to support the diversity standard. Also, deciphering how to integrate music in other subjects also supported what we wanted to include in the curriculum, and the physical learning environment.

The most efficient way that technology was used to collaborate was through Google sites. We also used Microsoft word and excel to attach documents to our site so we could view them and edit them as well. Another way we used technology was through email so we could keep each other updated on our progress with the project. It was very convenient to work collaboratively and be able to work together even though we weren't working in the same room.

One barrier that we came across when completing the project was deciding what to incorporate into the curriculum. After creating the classroom and looking at all the resources we had, we had to narrow our ideas down to 2 of the units that would best be implemented in our classroom and with our students. I also had some trouble editing the Google site because I was logged into the wrong Google account. This kept me from working on our project for a couple of days.

Since working on this project, I've learned about all of the opportunities that I can provide for my students through technology. Instead of sitting in a circle and counting beats with clapping, I can teach my students music through recording my own song! Why not impact the way they learn the material by radically changing up my instruction? I've also learned about adapting the classroom to provide for each of my students, and incorporating each of their learning abilities and interests.

I really enjoyed doing this project, but I really think I could have worked a lot harder on it if I had more time. Perhaps the next chance I'll get to do this will be in a classroom of my own!

Podcast Formatting

In Classroom Computer Applications, we have been researching and learning about podcasting. Some of the things it includes are:
* Intro music
* Preview
* Bumper music
* Main story
* 2nd story
* Music
* Summary
*Outro Music

Digital Portfolio Reviews

Kathleen Fischer’s Electronic Portfolio
1. My first impression of her portfolio was that it was really busy, and I didn’t know where to look first. It didn’t look very well organized, but it seemed very interesting and stimulating. I liked all the colors she used, and how her picture is very real and not posed at all. I also liked that her resume was right on the homepage so it was easy to access.
2. Kathleen’s strengths are that she has a lot of credentials, and she seems very familiar with technology. She also provided images and visuals of her artifacts, and those helped intrigue me instead of just plain text. There are examples for each thing she includes, so this gives her credibility.
3. I can see that Kathleen is very active, and she definitely loves what she does. She’s also very creative, and an entrepreneur because she’s using ads to make money off of her portfolio. This shows the vastness of her ability, and how she might be able to help in positive ways at a school to use the resources available.
4. I would hire this person as a future teacher, because she seems very innovative and goal-oriented. She knows how to maximize her resources by making money off of her portfolio with the ads she’s using. She also seems very ready and willing to be flexible with people and new, unique programs.


Kye S. Hedlund’s Electronic Portfolio
1. My first impression of Kye’s portfolio was that it is really bland, and lots of small text with no pictures. It didn’t capture my interest or attention, and the colors weren’t stimulating at all. It seemed to be time-consuming to read, and nothing that would really be beneficial to me as a reader.
2. Kye’s portfolio seems to have lots of useful and credible information, and it is organized well. His weaknesses are that he has too much text, no pictures, and no vibrant colors. This does not promote good visual literacy, and it doesn’t intrigue the reader. They would have to be reading for a purpose, and not just browsing.
3. Kye seems very professional, but not too innovative when it comes to his portfolio. I’m sure that he gets his point across, and he accomplishes his main goal of putting his resume and artifacts online. But most people would not be attracted or impressed by this kind of webpage. It is not attractive or pleasing to the eyes. I’m sure Kye gets things done, but is more old-fashioned and less open to change.
4. I would not hire this person because his webpage bored me. He could be interesting, but his portfolio does not portray that at all. I need something that is exciting and enthusiastic, and I most likely wouldn’t get to the bottom of his portfolio without being bored and needing something more exhilarating.

Angela Veenstra’s Electronic Portfolio
1. I really liked Angela’s portfolio. The color scheme was good, and it seemed simple, but interesting. To open with a picture lets the reader get to know a little bit more about her, and have a visual to picture as they read her thoughts. She seemed very inviting and casual in her photos, but also professional with the way her portfolio is set up.
2. Angela’s strengths are that she did a good job with visual literacy, and her format is very organized and thorough. I liked that she had links to her blog and website, so if the reader wanted to learn more they wouldn’t have to look very hard. A weakness to her portfolio is that it’s the standard outline, and there’s nothing that jumps out to me about it. She could have put some more creativity into it, and really made an impact on whoever was reading it at the time.
3. Angela’s personality is conveyed as laid-back, relaxed, and sweet. She looks very approachable, but she gets the job done. She also portrays someone that works well with others, and can be innovative when put up to the challenge.
4. I would hire Angela because she seems very approachable, and willing to go above and beyond for others. She can organize, and create projects with thorough information. She also seems like an asset to any faculty or employer.

Jennifer Hedrick’s Electronic Portfolio
1. Jennifer’s portfolio was very appealing and organized when I first look at it. She put up pictures not just of her, but of her with her students. This is very positive when it comes to working in a classroom. It shows that she has experience. I also liked the colors she used.
2. Jennifer has many strengths in her portfolio. She has links to her blog, resume, and other artifacts that she has created. It gives the reader some room to explore and get to know her a little bit more. She also included a lot of information about herself. A weakness is that she doesn’t have a lot to read other than her artifacts. By creating her webpage more interesting might make someone want to read and explore more.
3. From her portfolio, I think Jennifer is a very outgoing, interpersonal candidate for teaching. She included pictures of her smiling, and interacting with students. She seems to get along with others well, and will work hard to create an awesome product.
4. I would hire Jennifer because she could add a lot to the school, and can work to establish technology in the classroom. She has done a good job so far with her own webpage and portfolio.

The Struggle of English Language Learners

I've been reading some journal articles about different topics in education, and one article really set itself apart from the rest. It is called Testing Tension: Weigh Proficiency, Assess Content. I found it through the Rod Library's website on the University of Northern Iowa webpage. It came from a journal article in Education Week. Here are some of the interesting things I read from this article.

One good point that the article made was standardized tests that are required by the No Child Left Behind act are not fitting for some students. Since they are mandatory, teachers must require all students to complete them, even ELL students. Some think that this is creating a test anxiety since they are not prepared to complete them. Also, since standardized tests are given in English, ELL students are reviewed on how well they can explain themselves in English, and not their mastery of the material.

Another thing this article talked about how diverse the United States is, and how many ELL students are attending school. In Tennessee, within a typical year, there are 115-130 native languages represented by people that live there! Also, it takes a person around 5-7 years to learn lanauge. If we put this in the context of ELL students attending American schools, they might not fully comprehend English while going to school. And yet, these tests are incorporated students who can't even understand the questions. Isn't there a better way to assess all students, whom all learn differently and express themselves in different ways? This is something that each teacher must ask themselves. Are they willing to go the extra mile to differentiate instruction for each student with needs, even if it's a language barrier?

The National Association for Gifted Children's website shows a bar graph of the amount of funding that each program gets within an average school. Even this graph shows how an ELL program does not get an adequate amount of funding because of No Child Left Behind.

Are You Book Smart?

For so long, I have thought of someone as smart if they know alot of facts, and score well on math tests. But I learned very quickly that these are not the only areas which we can be tested and evaluated in. The idea of researching more information about multiple intelligences was very captivating and convincing of my time. I have studied this topic through a class called "Expressive Arts in the Elementary Classoom," and it clearly identifies children excelling in areas other than reading, writing, and arithmetic.

I found a particular blog called Lawasgna: Alternating Layers of thoughts, tricks, tips and other ingrediants to live and learn well in law and beyond. The writer's name is Anastasia Pryanikova. She seems to be very knowledgeable about the topic of multiple intelligneces, and very willing to share everything she knows with the rest of cyberspace. One of her posts was titled Kinesthetic Intelligence: Learning through Dance, and this caught my attention right away because one of my strengths in learning is by kinesthetically approaching a subject or topic.

I found an interesting link in this post to another blog entitled The brain dancer: How about a little movement in your mediation? Just a little? This was another blog post about stepping outside the social norms of teaching and viewing it as a challenge of how to reach students. It creates excitement in the classroom, and leaves an impression on students, and most likely impacts them more than a textbook or diagram could do. There is also an example of a dance that illustrates different regular and irregular verbs. This is a great idea and convenient resource for the classroom!

Both of these writers know alot about the topic they are discussing, and present in a way that is easy to follow, and they provide valid resources and links to their ideas. The information in the blogs is made up of facts, and some opinions. But there is nothing that is going to offend or speak out against anyone's thoughts or beliefs. In this changing world, everyone's new ideas are welcomed, and this is just one out of several that are available. After reading these blogs, I have to wonder, "Is there an end to creativity?"