Final Project- Blogfolio

ASSIGNMENT REFLECTIONS

Intro video

            The introduction video was the very first assignment completed in this class. I had a few issues figuring out how to post a video I took on a phone to the blog. I eventually figured out that I could e-mail it to myself and then upload it to my blog after downloading it from my e-mail. This assignment served as a way to get us used to the blogging site. I learned how to create and publish a post and how to upload media all from one post. I think that I can integrate this knowledge in my future teaching because I will be able to upload things that I have created to our class website, or make new posts about the created things. The NETS-T standard that this assignment met is standard 1d: model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments, because this assignment involved engaging in learning in a virtual environment. This assignment was the starting point of us being able to post things about ourselves and technology in classrooms to share with others both in our class and around the world.

TED Talks

            My favorite TED talk video was John Hunter and the World Peace Games. Through this video I was able to see an educator believing that children CAN solve complex world problems if given the materials and opportunities to do so. John Hunter inspired me to give students a chance to show their creativity and knowledge. I think that adults should listen to children more and take their suggestions to heart instead of just dismissing them and thinking that they are silly. I can use this knowledge in my future teaching to find out what students think about current events and allow them to write different proposals and ways they would solve problems. This assignment met the NETS-T standard 5a: participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning, because TED talks include educators from all over the world that get together and discuss their teaching strategies and creative ways to engage students in learning.

Concept Map

             In this assignment, we used the Inspiration 8 software to create a concept map of a lesson we might teach. I had quite a few issues with this one because it was new software to me, and I did not know too much about technology coming into this class. I was able to sort out all my issues eventually and create a concept map that looks pretty good in my opinion. This would be something that I could use in my future teaching if I had the software. If not, I would probably be able to find some kind of website that would help me make a concept map. This assignment met the NETS-T standard 1a: promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness. It meets this standard because in creating this concept map and showing it to students, it would encourage them to be creative in their creations and designs, especially if having them make a concept map, too.  

Do Not Track

            In the Do Not Track Plus assignment, we downloaded the software Do Not Track Me and monitored the results after visiting a few sites. I learned that sites are tracking everything you do while on their site and everything you click on. I did not know this before. I did not have any problems installing this software. The only problem I had was after installing, I was not able to order pizza online. I have not yet figured out why so I do not really have a solution to this problem. I think that in the future, I could have my students install it on the school computers or on their personal ones so that they can be aware that everything they do on the Internet is being monitored. It is important to know that in the Terms and Conditions that every site has, yet no one tends to read, allowances are made for sites to track individuals that use their services. This is part of what makes them free. This assignment met standard 2a: design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity. It met this standard because it provided a relevant learning experience using software that shows the tracking habits of different frequently visited websites.

Voki

            For the Voki assignment, we created our own personal avatars that we would use on our class websites. This was a good thing to learn how to do because when I have my own classroom, it would be nice to have a website and use one of these. The only issue I encountered is in the free version you can only have the avatar say a certain amount of characters and I had more I wanted to say. Also, some of the voices are quite creepy. I would definitely use this in my future classroom website. The standard that this assignment met is standard 3c: communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats. It met this standard because I was able to communicate ideas to parents and students on my website by using this avatar which is a digital age media.

Web 2.0 Sites

             In the Web 2.0 assignment, we were given a list of technologies that may or may not be helpful for educators. We were all given two websites to learn and teach the class what they are and how to use them. Some of the sites no longer exist and some were pretty bad or weird, but some looked like they would be pretty useful. I would use some of the sites (like the ones that have an * beside them) in my future classroom. I would also suggest some of them to my students and even to their parents. The standard this assignments is standard 4b: address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources, because it provided us with a variety of sites to use to facilitate learning.

Augmented Reality

                     For this assignment, we read and reacted to article about augmented reality and its applications in a classroom. Mostly, it was talking about using it in art classrooms to give students a view of things they may not have access to in the classroom. One teacher used it by having students holding their tablets up to an augmented reality trigger which led them to a site with more information on the certain work of art. This would be good to use when teaching my elementary students about certain works of art or certain parts of the world that they are unfamiliar with and will probably not get an opportunity to visit. The NETS-T standard this meets is standard 1b: engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources. It meets this standard because it is encouraging students to use technology to find out more information about the world around them and giving them an opportunity to learn about the real-world on their own.

Website

        For this assignment we created our own website. My website was on online safety. It was geared towards children. This assignment taught me how to make and manage a website. I had a few issues when trying to post certain things but after playing with it for a little while I was able to figure it out. I would definitely use this knowledge to make a website for my future classroom so that I can keep parents and students up to date and let them post questions or comments that I can see and respond to. This assignment meets standard 3a: demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations. It met this standard because creating a website requires fluency in technology systems. Also, it allowed me to transfer some of my knowledge of online safety to the site to share with others.

Movie

                     This assignment required uploading pictures that we downloaded onto the computer into Movie Maker and making a movie. I learned a lot with this assignment. I learned how to make a movie, how to download and upload pictures, and how to make mp3 files and import them into Movie Maker. I had a problem with some of the pictures being sideways, but I finally found the rotate option with the help of some of my peers. I would use this in my future teaching to make movies of projects and assignments (with permission, of course) for my students and their parents. It would be a great way to keep parents informed of what we are doing in class. This assignment meets standard 4c: promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information. It meets this standard because it promoted social interactions using technology. Movies help others discover something about us, and if they are going to be posted online, or even shown to others at all, digital etiquette should be followed. Anything posted online, or created digitally, is there forever.

OVERALL COURSE REFLECTION

I learned a lot of things about technology over this past semester. Coming into this class, I was a little nervous because I had not had much experience with technology, because I like to do things the old school way. I prefer to write using paper and pencils. I do not use calculators for math. I still like regular mail and letters. I even like paper books better than digital ones (and the thought of libraries turning into digital libraries pains me). Conformity to the digital world scares me. This course has taught me to not be so afraid of technology. I learned how to make a movie and a website and an avatar for a website. I learned about TED Talks and other resources that are useful to teachers. I also learned about some websites that aren’t too bad and help make a good technology learning experience.

I feel that my strong points are my creativity and ability to figure things out eventually. After I figure out how to do something or get somewhere once, I can do it from then on without having to think too hard. These things are strong points because they help make my technology experiences less painful. It is like riding a bike. Once you learn you don’t forget. My weaknesses are my fear and dislike of technologies, as well as my lack of experience with certain technologies. These weaknesses prevent me from fully utilizing technologies that could make my life easier. I plan to improve upon my weaknesses by giving technology a chance and not being so afraid that technology is going to take over everything we do. I plan to discover and explore new technologies. I can even get my dad to help (he is an IT Tech that disagrees with my views of technology).

I plan to integrate technology into my classroom in small ways because an elementary classroom should not be fully centered around technology. If my school allows tablets, I would allow the students to use certain apps that review the things learned in class. I would have them type some of their things on the computer and teach them how to use things like spell check, and the thesaurus that is on Word. I would also let them use educational websites to play games that review the material learned in class as well as to do research on order to present certain facts to the class.

I think that e-Portfolios or blogs would be useful in education in that they provide students with a way to have all of their thoughts and assignments in one place. Also, people from all over the world can see them and they could serve as a good collaboration tool. Other students can review someone’s blog and give them helpful comments or suggestions on how to make their assignment better, or share their own personal ideas on a topic.

 After taking this class, I have found that technology can be useful if I keep an open mind. I have decided that I will give new technologies a chance and learn how to do certain things that involve technology. I will also try to send more e-mails and type more.   

26- Response to "A Conversation With a 'Bad' Teacher"

After reading the book, Confessions of a Bad Teacher by John Owens, Hana Maruyama decided to do an interview with Owens. She titled the interview, "A Conversation With a 'Bad' Teacher". John Owens was a journalist for about 30 years and then he decided to get a graduate degree and become a teacher. He became a writing teacher at a high school in the South Bronx of New York. His teaching experience was not a very good one. Owens says that the school he taught at was basically just run by data. Everything students did were to be recorded, right down to their attitudes about things. This data would then be used to prove that the students were passing. Some of the data was even falsified. John Owens did all that he knew to do to be a good teacher and it still was not good enough for the school's administration. He refused to go to a writing conference in order to establish some kind of consistency for his students (something that their lives were lacking) and then accrued the  wrath of the principal. From that moment on she did not like him and spent her days trying to prove that he was a failure as a teacher. He says that society tends to dislike teachers or label it as a "soft" profession, but it was the hardest job he ever had. He gained a new found respect for teachers and what they go through on a daily basis.  He wanted to take a stand and make things better, both for teachers and students. That is why he wrote his book. He gets letters from teachers all the time saying that this is basically their life, and these are their experiences. He hopes that people will read his book and help take a stand to improve our education system.

This was probably one of my favorite articles that we have read for class this semester. This is not the first time I have heard of negative teaching experiences, but it is the first time I was able to hear it directly from a teacher. I think that it is good for teachers to know that there is someone out there that knows what they are going through and trying to make it better. Not all teachers have this kind of negative experience, though. I would like to thank John Owens for taking a stand in order to help improve the American education system and the lives of teachers and students alike.

25- Response to "Kids Can't Compute..."

In his article, "Kids Can't Compute- And That's a Problem", Mike Elgan writes that just because a young child can use an iPad or iPhone this does not make them a computer genius. Elgan goes on to talk about all the many computers he had growing up and the fact that you had to know how the software worked to be able to properly use it. He claims that computers and phones and tablets these days don't require users to ask questions, or even try to find a solution to a problem they are facing, because they believe that there is always another app or software update that will fix it. In the end, they know nothing about the inner workings of a computer, or how to build a computer. This is why he claims that in order to graduate high school a student must be able to manage a complex website, build a PC and troubleshoot networking issues.

I found this article to be enlightening. I realize that I am one of those people that has no clue about the inner workings of a computer. I would prefer to do things using paper and pencil, or physical books, and I am not very tech savvy at all. However, we live in a technological age and maybe I would not shy away from technology so much if I actually knew what was happening and how to fix it on my own. I think that students should be taught to use technology and to understand it.

24- SAMR and LMS

An SAMR (Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition) Model is used to see how computer technology might impact teaching and learning. Teachers of primary and secondary education should be educated in ways to use different forms of technology in the classroom. In order to this, we (I say we because I am a future educator, myself) must first be educated in the different technologies available. Then, when we feel comfortable with them, we should then use them in the classroom to add a technological component. Children are going to use technology anyway, so we might as well teach them good ways to use it, and ways that will foster learning and creativity. That is not to say, however, that a classroom should become fully digitized, either. SAMRs are a good way to find out if certain technologies will be useful in the classroom.
A Learning Management System (LMS) should also be implemented in high schools. These are systems that allow for the tracking and documentation and reporting/delivering of electronic materials that are to be submitted online. Most colleges use some form of LMS so high schools should start implementing them so that the students are more prepared to use them. I had never used one before I came to college and I had a hard time trying to figure out how to navigate it. If there had been some kind of course at my high school that used one, I would not have so many problems because I would be used to it.

23- Response to "Beyond MOOCS..."

The article, "Beyond MOOCs: Is IT Creating a New, Connected Age?" is from a 2013 Educase Sprint Conference. This article talks about the growing availability of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Classrooms) and what types of technological higher education advances can be created beyond them. It includes quotes from different people and describes why MOOCs won't cut it for very long. The concept of a massive online classroom that is open to anyone has appealed to many people in the last few years. Students are able to receive feedback quickly from automated messages and are able to go through the curriculum at their own pace, whether it takes 2 weeks or 20. However, many universities are trying to improve MOOCs and come up with new technological classrooms because many problems have started to arise, whether it be the lack of income from the classrooms or figuring out what information should be licensed and what part of the classroom should be outsourced.

I found this article interesting because I had never heard of MOOCs before. I think it is cool that they are creating classrooms for the more tech-savvy students, or the ones that do not want to sit down for a lecture. However, I have some reservations about it. With these things, there is no kind of personal quality. Also, they eliminate the need for a teacher because everything is automated. What will happen to the teaching profession if all universities switch to this type of technology? If the universities switch, who's to say the high schools, middle schools and elementary schools won't switch also?

27- My movie project

22- Web 2.0 sites

Padlet * -A blank wall where you can type anything you want and students can log in and comment. This would be helpful to get student input on certain topics. Stormboard -You can have questions and the students can vote on if they like the comment or not. They can also answer the questions. You have to get a code and log in first. This seems like it could be useful, but you may have a problem with everyone getting the codes. Kidtopia -Contains different libraries for different subjects and provides you with resources to help with each one. This would be helpful to gather information about certain topics and to allow the students to explore the topics themselves. instagrok * -Combination of a concept map and a search engine. Gives you a concept map with key facts and reference websites it also has quizzes on the various topics. This would be helpful to give the students to use for a research project. slimekids -a directory for a bunch of different search engines for kids. Gives academic information on topics that you choose. Contains an authors page where you can go to certain authors' websites and learn more about them. This would be helpful when teaching how to search for appropriate information on the internet. wikisummarizer * -Provides summaries to articles on Wikipedia. Gives a concept map that can also be viewed in tree view. You can edit the maps. This would be good to use to help students navigate Wikipedia since they're going to use it anyway. pearltrees * -A combination of Pinterest and a concept map. Combining your thoughts into a "pearl tree". This seems very interesting. You could have the students compile a pearl tree on an educational subject. netvibes -Kinda like pearl trees, a combination of Pinterest and a Google search. You can sign up for free, but there are limits. This would be good to use for the same stuff as pearltree. Glogster * -A place to make online poster boards. You can also make timelines. This would be helpful for students trying to get all of their information in one place. It also provides them with templates for different things. Audacity - You can record speeches, videos, audio, etc. It is difficult to use because you have to have certain download capabilities. You could record your classes and give it to students that have trouble paying attention in class. Vimeo -Create and share videos, almost like Youtube. Maybe you could use it to create videos of your class and let the parents see them (with permission, of course), or let the students create their own videos of a certain project. wordpress.com -It is a blog site. You can create blogs, share blogs, follow friends, explore topics, etc. This would maybe be a good idea to use to have students create their own blogs and do projects, as well as follow some educational blogs. evernote * -You can take notes on it while in class and search any document that you already have. It would be easy to organize and keep up with notes. This would be good to use in a school where students all have electronics if they prefer to take notes on their computers. compfight -Almost like Google Images, used for locating images, research, etc. It seems to give a better selection. This might be good to use to find certain things that you may not want students to search on Google. diigo -Build a library and build a cloud of links, ideas, notes, etc.This would be good to use to share things with other teachers. blabberize -insert images and construct a mouth that says the words you give it to say. You could use it for your classroom to grab students' attention, or assign it as a project and have the students teach a lesson to the class using it. easel.ly * -make charts or concept maps or diagrams. Students can use them to make charts or teachers can use them to present ideas. animoto -upload pictures and audio and make your own videos or add backgrounds to pictures. The free version only allows for up to like 30 seconds. This is kind of like Vine, it seems. This would be an interesting way to get children to learn to use technology, and a small project that could be used at the beginning of the year to get students interested in technology. bookbuilder -read books, create and share books, etc. You can filter books by grade level and change the languages. This would be good to use to make a book for your students or to have them make their own books. weebly * -a website that helps you make your own websites. They come with cool backgrounds and templates, and you can use audio and video, easy to use. This would be a good site to use to make a webpage for your class or to have students make their own websites. storyboard generator (acmi) - gives a lot of educational videos that you can use in your classroom, you can also create your own... maybe. It seems like a slide show type thing. tagul * -This is like Wordle but not as restricted. You can use different designs and things. This would be fun to use for a class project or to find the students' overall feelings on a certain topic. edmodo * -This is like Facebook for teachers. You can ask other educators questions and get resources on different topics. This would be good to use to stay connected to other teachers.You can create a classroom and have your students make student profiles and keep them updated on stuff. socrative * -teachers can use it to make quizzes and games for students. This site is free and easy for the class to join. This would be a good way to involve the students in technology in the classroom. podbean -like iTunes Podcast. You could post your lessons or lectures for your students to have access to, but only a certain amount is free. pixton -make your own comic strips. You could use this to make comics for your students or have students make their own. iCloud * -You can look through and create documents and spreadsheets that can be used as grade books. This could help keep all of your class items organized and in one place.

21-Let's Be Safe! Kids

https://sites.google.com/site/letsbesafekids/

20- Response to "Common Core in Action..."

This article, "Common Core in Action: How Two Science Teachers are Implementing Common Core", is about two science teachers in New York that are trying to find methods to use to teach science while also meeting the standards of the Common Core. They decided to experiment using LDC (Literacy Design Collaborative). They gave their students academic articles about certain topics that they wanted them to learn about and then got them to write an essay answering a prompt. The prompt asked the students to compare two different sources of energy and tell which ones were the best or which ones are easier to use in certain situations and populations. They decided to use this method because of their struggles making sure the standards for science are met. These standards are geared more towards writing and gathering information, things that are easier to teach in a language arts or social studies classroom. I found this article to be interesting. I liked that the teachers were going outside of the norm and willing to change their teaching skills to do what needed to be done. If I decided to teach middle to upper grades, I would teach English, which is a subject that should be fairly easy to teach and also meet standards. I imagine that it would be a little harder to meet the science standards if they are based on reading and writing. I like that these teachers are taking a proactive role in trying to ensure their students succeed.

19-Response to "Evolving Classroom Education..."

This article was about the future of technology in the classroom. It included the term BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), which refers to asking students to bring their own mobile devices in order to teach them using the technology already available. It also gave other examples of technologies that are not quite developed for schools yet, but should be in the near future. It was about anticipating these new technologies and keeping updated with them in order to effectively use them in the classroom. I found this article to be very interesting. I guess if technology is going to take over, people should be educated on how to use it properly. I also think that it should be used sparingly and in certain situations. I plan on teaching in critical needs areas and the BYOD thing may not work, because the students may not have access to their own mobile devices. It does not seem fair to let only a few children bring technologies to school while the others just have to watch and are reminded about how they do not have these things. If I were to use this in my classroom, I would have to find a way to make sure each of the children were given access to a device.

18- Voki

17- Bullying

In class, we watched part of a documentary about bullying and how it effected the students that were followed. Most of them dreaded going to school because of the bullies, some became depressed, and still others committed suicide. As a future educator, I need to think of some ways to deflect bullying in the classroom, and what to do for my students that are bullied. I think that the biggest thing I could do is to establish a system of respect from day one. I would emphasize that we should respect each other, and model that for my students. I would make them all feel that they are important and that they have value. In doing this, the students will observe what it means to be respect and to show respect and will start showing it to others. I would also try to establish the classroom as a "no judgment zone", and make it a place where all students can share what is on their minds without being judged or made fun of. It would also give them a platform to talk about things that bother them or tell about how someone is being mean to them so that those issues can be addressed. I will have to research some ways to help stop bullying when it happens, but I would think the number one thing to do would be to encourage the students to tell someone, whether a teacher, parent, or counselor. Then, the adult could look into it and help address the problem. I would just try to find a method that works, because no child should be bullied or made to feel insignificant.

16- Response to Augmented Reality Article

In her article, "Augmented reality snags a coveted spot in classrooms", Laura Davaney explores the use of augmented reality apps in two different classrooms. She first talks about a K-5 art teacher that uses augmented reality to teach her students the differences in brush strokes on famous paintings. She also creates tutorial videos and her students have started making them as well. The other teacher is a high school history teacher. He uses the apps to teach his students about different landmarks around the world. They hold their iPad up to a augmented reality trigger and all kinds of facts, pictures, and videos about the landmarks pop up. They even have games where they can put historical events in order.

I think that augmented reality sounds really neat. I had never heard of it before talking about it in class or reading this article, but it sounds like it could be very educational. I like that the art students got involved in making their own art tutorial videos, and the way that the high schoolers got excited about the apps and dove deeper into the information because it was presented to them in a different way. This is definitely something I will have to check out!

15- Response to "Five Essentials to Create Connected Students"

In this article, Vicki Davis describes 5 ways to help students become connected, even if they do not have a lot of experience in using social networks and things like that. She says that is is essential for students to be connected authors. It is important for them to know how to write formally or informally depending on their platform. They should realize that you write differently on Twitter than you do on Wikipedia or a professional blog. Another essential she mentions is becoming connected publishers. She says that students need a place where they can store all of their professional items online for the world to see which should include their full names once they turn 18. The third essential is becoming a connected conversationalist. She says that students need a voice and should be encouraged to speak out about education and other things, even if they are doing so on Twitter and using certain hashtags. The fourth essential is being a strategic disconnector. Davis claims that students need to know when to turn off their notifications and electronics and interact with the world around them. This includes study time, dinner with a relative, etc. The last thing she talks about is being a curious, lifelong pursuer of ingenious solutions. She says that the students should have a more proactive role in the technology they use. She also suggests that the students themselves should create apps. She says that technology is everywhere so we need to prepare our students to use it in the classroom and beyond.

I found this article to be interesting. I wish there would have been more information about what to do if the students we are teaching really don't have access to the technology that others do. I also like how Davis acknowledged the need to turn off electronics at some points, because I feel as if people are just on their phones all the time, and are losing the ability to really socialize. I think that it would be a good idea to let some students create their own apps. This would show that they have a grasp on what is being taught as well as what is important to them.

14- Response to 21st Century Skills

This foreword by Ken Kay talks about why it is important to implement 21st Century Skills in the American classroom. He talks about how just being a good student is not good enough anymore to ensure job security. You need modernized skills that will be helpful for many career fields. He also says that the United States needs to start teaching 21st century skills because we are behind in our education systems. The dropout rate is very high and we need to catch up to the rest of the world. He also says we should implement this kind of education to help secure our economic future. The 21st century education model combines core academic subjects, 21st century themes, and 21st century skills. These skills include critical thinking and problem solving skills. Kay emphasizes how these skills are essential for ALL students.

I thought that this was very interesting. The skills that were described were not ones that I really realized were lacking in the American education program until I just sat down and thought about it. I also liked how he emphasized that these skills should be taught to all students, not just a few. This spoke to me because I am also under the firm belief that all students have a right to a vast and deep pool of knowledge.

13- Response to "Why Tough Teachers get Good Grades"

In this article by Joanne Lipman, a tough orchestra teacher is described as one of the best. The teacher even resorted to calling students idiots and poking them with pencils and was still loved by the students. This teacher's students became very successful in every career field they decided to go into. Lipman suggests that this is because the "tough love" style of teaching actually works. She says that traditional teaching methods are shown to work better than the newer methods. She even says that acknowledging failure and the fact that not everyone succeeds 100% of the time has been found to be very effective. Also, hard work and determination help develop talent.

I though that this was very interesting. I have found that the stricter teachers are more effective at getting their points across. I liked the facts being drilled into my head because it helped me learn better. I do not agree with calling students idiots or being cold- hearted, but I do believe that a little strictness and structure is needed to have effective instruction. I also agree that the students should be taught that you cannot always win. Failure IS an option.

11- Inspiraion Comments

Erika- I like the colors and how they go along with your pictures and book. I also like the idea of the students creating their own "wild things".

Jackie- I like the chalkboards and the pictures that you used. The games sound fun, but the book seems like it would be on a lower level than second grade.

Mary Kathryn- I love the Corduroy books! The activities all seem very interesting and interactive. The Find the Button activity might even work in the classroom because they may not do it or take it as seriously at home.

Jennifer- I like that you have them pretend that they are a particular animal in a certain biome. It would be cool to try to find some kind of interactive thing online to go along with it, too.

Jordan- I like that you are giving them the information about what companies help after a hurricane. I also like that you are taking them to the library to conduct research. I like the activities but a few more interactive things technology wise could be implemented.

Jonathan- I like the interactive quiz that you found online for the start of the war. I also like how you divided your presentation by events. I also like the clips about the war, just make sure that they are not too scary!

12- Do Not Track Plus

This was my first time using software that lets you see what sites are tracking you. I did not really realize that people were tracking what I do on certain websites and what I click on. What surprised me most was that on Facebook, only 2 sites were tracking me, even when I clicked on some games and stuff. I thought the number would be a lot higher. The software also blocked 2 sites while I was on Pinterest. This did not surprise me too much, as they do not do a lot of advertising on there. I found this software to be informational and interesting. It should be fun to see how many things are blocked on other sites!

10- Concept Map- Context Clues

Context Clues

W.4.6. With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting

I.       Read Story and Identify Theme

The students will have read a chapter of James and the Giant Peach in a previous class and again for homework. They will then come to school dressed as different characters and act out the chapter that they read and then tell the theme of this chapter. They will make a list of words that they did not understand to research later. This skit can be video taped and a copy sent home with each student.

A.    James and the Giant Peach

B.    Act Out Chapter

1.    Dress Like Favorite Character

2.    Video and Send a Copy Home

II.     Type 1 Page Story

The students will type a story and use some of the words they researched. The paper will be a page long. The students should be sure not to just throw the words into the story, but have context clues so that others will be able to figure out the meanings of the words.

A.    Use Previous List of Unfamiliar Words

B.    Put Clues in the Story So Others Can Identify the Meanings of Words

III.    E-mail Activity

The students will e-mail their papers to a partner on a previously made school friendly e-mail account. They will then read the one that was e-mailed to them and write a reply e-mail in which they comment on the story and identify the clues the other used. They will then get together and discuss what could have been differently and what was done well. They will combine their word lists and make a new story together to present to the class.

A.    e-mail Your Story to a Partner

B.    Make a New Story Together

1.    Present to Class

IV.    Context Clues Activity

There will be a short lesson explaining to students what context clues are and then the students will play an online game on context clues. The game is modeled after the TV game show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? This will help the students grasp a firmer understanding of context clues.

A.    Learn About Context Clues

B.    Play the Game Context Clues Millionaire

V.     Research Activity

In this activity, the students will take the list of unknown words from James and the Giant Peach and use context clues from the chapter to define these words. They will then go to a computer lab and look up the words online to make sure they had the correct meanings. When they finish this, they will get into small groups and compare their words and definitions.

A.    Use Context Clues to Define Strange Words

B.    Get in Groups and Compare Words.

9- Safe Practices for Life Online

1. Facebook, Twitter, Google+
2. Some students have become expelled, or even arrested for what they post on social networking sites such as Facebook. Teachers or principals browsing through will see something concerning and report it to a higher authority.
3. sexting- sending sexual images or messages over text message (Google)
    cramming- adding unauthorized charges to a person's phone bill (Google)
    cookies- packets of data  that are sent over the Internet to track the user or access to the server each time the browser is accessed
     trojan horse- a program that breaches a computer's security... used by hackers (Google)
     phising-taking money from an online account by posing as a real business (Google)
     spyware- allows you to get information about another person's computer activities by secretly getting data from their hard drive (Google)
      rootkit- tools used to gain control of someone else's computer without being found (Google)
      zombie- a computer that is being used for spam and illegal activities by someone other than the owner without the owner's knowledge (Google)
4. These are bad screen names because they either give out the wrong information or give a bad impression. "Trashmouth" would seem like a person who uses obscene language, while "IHaveOnePairPants" would make it seem as if the person is either really poor, or only likes to wear one pair of pants. "BoogerDude" and "Pig" make the users seem as if they eat their boogers, or a lot of food. These are not good screen names for students to have, especially if they are using them for professional purposes.
5. Someone with these screen names would get harassed because they imply that the user is just looking for romance or sexual relations. These would be prime targets for sex offenders, especially "Lookin4Luv" and suPaFlirt".
6. Tom_Evans34 gives away the name and age of the user; Missy-13 also gives away the name and age of the user; AndyKarateKid gives away the name and a hobby of the user; ViolinGurl gives away that the user is a girl that plays the violin; restlinmatch reveals that the user cannot spell and likes wrestling
7. i8sushi2- good, it does not give away personal information or generate negative attention;
    Soccerstar- this one could go either way, all you can tell about the user is that they are good at soccer (or at least they think they are), but it does give away information
    Puppygirl1234- this one could also go either way as it doesn't give away any personal information except that the user is a girl that likes puppies. However, it would also seem to be the account of a younger girl.
     KeKe1995- BAD, gives away the user's name and birth year
     Bookworm- good, doesn't give away personal information or generate negative attention (except from people who don't like nerds)
      2BorNot2b- good, no personal info
      Choco-holic- good, no personal info
      CapitlOfens- BAD, creates negative attention and seems suspicious
      AmericanIdol2- good, no personal info
      BellaIsabella- BAD- gives away a name and a nickname
      DarkAngel666- could go either way, it is not necessarily good, but it doesn't give away personal info, it would create negative attention, though
       Karla-Love-1996- BAD, gives away a name and a birth year
       SimplyMe- good, no personal info
       gUn4hiRe- BAD, this one might get you put on the FBI or CIA watch list
       babyfaceLA- BAD, gives away a location or maybe initials and would attract attention
       Watup?- good, no personal info
8. purplepenguins777
    bandgeek101
    ilovebooks
9. My password score is 4.
10. most common- Students give their passwords to their friends, who then decide to use it or give it to others who use it
       least common- a password-cracking program is used to crack their password

   

8-Pedagogy Wheel

This pedagogy wheel has different verbs to be used when making objectives for lessons at certain levels in Bloom's Taxonomy. The different levels also have different apps that can be used to go along with each of these levels. Each level of the taxonomy has a corresponding spot on the pedagogy wheel. For instance, the lowest level of thinking is in the "remember/understand" section. The apps that go with this section are simple and easy to navigate. They are websites or apps that most people are familiar with, such as Google and Facebook, along with other social networking sites. The highest level of thinking is "creating". The apps that go with this require skills necessary to navigate harder sites. Some of the apps in this level are Fotobabble, Prezi, and iMovie. These apps also require creating different things. This wheel can be used in a classroom to integrate technology into the curriculum. It can help provide apps for the teacher to incorporate and measure the  students' understanding.

7-Amanda Ainsworth- Response to "Use Arts Integration to Enhance Common Core"

The Edutopia article, "Use Arts Integration to Enhance Common Core" describes different strategies to implement arts into the Common Core classroom. The article claims that this integration, while it may be difficult at first, will actually make it easier to teach concepts outlined in the Common Core.The author of this article says that subjects like math and reading are easy to understand when some form of the arts are integrated into the unit. Arts integration should be done to equally involve all students and their different learning styles. Some of the strategies given for integration are mirroring, which entails having students mirror each other's actions, "stepping into the painting", where each child looks at and interprets a particular painting and then the class gets together to compare their interpretations and come up with one large story, and call and response, which uses a rhythm and helps students practice fluency.

I found this article to be very informational and helpful. I am a big advocate of  keeping the arts in education so I would love to use some of these strategies to get my students more interested in the curriculum and the arts at the same time. I also think that students will become more engaged in lessons if some form of the arts is added in. Students learn many things through music, especially, which is why we teach them the ABCs in song form.  

6-John Hunter and The World Peace Game

John Hunter speaks of his idea of a world peace game. He got a job teaching gifted education when there were little to no standards so he got to teach what he wanted and rely on the students' own abilities and interests. He speaks of all of the people who inspired him throughout the years. His world peace game which consists of different layers that include outer space, space, ground levels and oceans. The ground level has 4 countries that the students have made up. Some are rich, some are poor. He gave the students a list of complex problems and crises and wanted to see how they would solve them. He also has one student disagree with things to make the others think more deeply. He just watches and the students run the game. The students have really good ideas and are able to make connections with readings they have done and real world experiences. They figure out what is right by themselves and are able to run successful and peaceful nations.

I think that this is very inspiring. A group of fourth graders got together and ruled their imaginary nations while working through and solving real world problems. I think that children should be encouraged to do things like this. John's class was a gifted class so they were able to easily make connections that others might not be able to make, but I see no reason why children that are not in a gifted program shouldn't be assigned with a task like this and modifications can be made to the game to make it appealing and accessible to all children. I also think that it could be done with students in other states and they may be able to make different insights depending on their demographics. I think that, if given the opportunity, I would be willing to do a project like this in my classroom in Mississippi, even working in critical needs areas, as these students deserve just as good of an education as everyone else. However I am not sure if something like this would be possible with the Common Core, as I am not completely certain of the Common Core fine print or even some of the standards.

5-Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy

What is the purpose of college and career readiness standards?
- The purpose is to make sure students are completely ready to begin college and a career with a firm foundation of knowledge.

What are the benefits and challenges of the shift to reading and writing non- fiction texts?
- Most of what we read in college and careers are informational texts, so students need to learn to read and understand these to be adequately prepared.
- One challenge is that these are sometimes complex texts and a student must be fully prepared and taught to understand them.
- A benefit is that reading all of these informational texts can help them to become better writers, as the abilities to read and write are related.

What are the benefits and challenges of having standards for science, social studies, and technical subjects?
- All children are being taught the same things and are able to go comfortably from state to state without having to be put in remedial classes.

4- Amanda Ainsworth- Response to "The Biggest Fallacy of the Common Core Standards"

Diane Ravitch, in her article, "The Biggest Fallacy of the Common Core Standards", talks about how the Common Core standards are not a good idea. She says that the only reason most states opted to adopt these standards was because of the promise of money from the Obama Administration. She does not agree with the standards and says that they have nothing to do with getting a student ready for a career even though they are college and career readiness oriented standards. She also claims that, if anything, these standards are discouraging students from pursuing careers in areas such as science and math because and driving them to look at easier courses. She also talks about how the failure rate of these tests are very high and that most students are more likely to give than to try harder. She also talks about how much money it takes to implement the new testing procedures and says that this money could be better spent elsewhere.

I do not think that anything that destines students to fail, whether purposefully or not, should be implemented in our education system. Every student deserves a chance to thrive and succeed and anything that takes this chance away from them should be done away with. Students in one area or state may learn differently from those in another, so who are we to say that they should be given the exact same material and tested in the exact same way? Those that learn differently would just have the odds stacked against them. If these standards are really as bad as some people make them out to be, then I don't think they are such a good idea, either. However, I will gather my own research and make a decision for myself when i am more informed.

3-Amanda Ainsworth- Response to: "The Common Core's Fundamental Trouble"

In her article, "The Common Core's Fundamental Trouble", Valerie Strauss describes several problems with the Common Core State Standards. It is very obvious that she does not agree with them at all. She describes how these are standards that are being made by people that have nothing to do with education, like businessmen or test makers. She also tells about how the tests that come with these new standards will be extremely hard, much harder than those created by the No Child Left Behind Act. She also talks about the problems that schools in New York are having after their trial run. Test scores plummeted and students became very stressed. She even included a quote by a teacher that supports the Common Core for the most part. In this quote, the teacher says that she is not even sure she would be able to pass, despite the various degrees that she has. If a seasoned educator is having problems, then how will students be able to pass? This is the point that Strauss tries to make. She thinks that the Common Core is setting up public schools to fail so that they can be closed down and replaced by privately funded schools.

I do not know much about the Common Core, but I think that Strauss has a point. If educators are forced to abide by these standards that are set up just to prepare students for a test, how much educating can be done? When taking standardized tests and tests with fill in the blank components, they tend to just memorize a bunch of facts that they then regurgitate onto the test. Then they forget everything that they remembered for the test. I feel as if teachers should be able to develop their curriculum, as long as it is age/grade appropriate, without the fear of what will happen if their students don't pass a test that is made by bureaucrats. Setting up students to fail is never a way to solve anything, but that is what will happen if the Common Core has such hard/strict tests and standards.

2- Amanda Ainsworth- Response to "How Teachers are Integrating Technology into the Common Core"

          Fred Sitkins’s article, “How Teachers are Integrating Technology into the Common Core”, is written by an elementary school principal from Michigan and is about the ways different teachers are integrating technology into their classrooms. In this article, Sitkins portrays his excitement that young children are being taught on apps for the iPad in schools. He highlights a few different apps that he claims are good for teaching students to read, as well as helping them share their thoughts on the readings with their teachers and fellow students, all by using one app. He also talks about how these apps are allowing students to publish their writings, sometimes even on global levels.  He also comments on how the Common Core is helping to make sure students are able to adapt to and use the technology around them. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are curriculum standards that most if not all schools are starting to adhere to. Standards have been added to ensure that students are able to integrate technology into all subjects. Sitkins is excited that this change came about right as it started becoming normal for children to have access to gadgets like the iPad.

            I think that using these apps and different types of technology in the classroom is okay to a certain extent. While I feel it is important that students grasp a firm understanding of the technology of the ages, I do not believe that it should take the place of regular instruction. I believe that students should be taught to read and write in traditional ways and if they feel the need, they can supplement this with technology. I think that teachers should integrate some technology, such as PowerPoint, into their teachings, but I also think students should have a separate class that is purely a technology class, especially elementary students. Young children should not be fully dependent on technology. I do not believe that technology is bad, nor do I believe it has no place in our classrooms and curriculum. I just believe that we should realize that there is a time and place for it, especially in schools. I’m all for a technology class and even using some technology in the classroom, as long as it does not come at the expense of other educational opportunities.  

1- Introduction

My name is Amanda Ainsworth and I am from Byram, MS. I am an Elementary Education major at the University of Southern Mississippi. I love children and I love to learn, which is why I love to see children have a passion for learning. When I graduate, I plan to teach at underprivileged schools in MS for at least two years. My passion is Mississippi schools because I want to give back to the state that I love and hopefully help do away with some of the negative stereotypes that have become associated with the intelligence levels of Mississippians. I believe the best way to do this is to ignite the flame of a desire to learn while a child is young and still impressionable.