Which cool tool would I likely use in the future

Glogster
Symbaloo
Dropbox
Animoto

These are the screencasts that I viewed from my cool tools page. The tool I would most likely use is glogster. It is a fun and interactive way to keep students engaged in a powerpoint form discussion. You basically make a poster that displays the information you want to give your students. Also, with glogster, your students can make their own posters, which gives an alternative way for you to assess what information your students are coming away with in your class. It is simply another technique for your students to use the information you have given them in class.

I would also use symbaloo for giving links to my class for potential resources online. I want my students to be as independent as possible, and symbaloo would allow that because they can choose the link to the resource that works best for them. They can also create their own symbaloo accounts to keep track of different links that were useful to them.

I probably would use dropbox or animoto as much as glogster or symbaloo, but animoto offers another alternative to showing what students are learning.

Participating in a cooperative learning group to make CITW

CITW stands for cooperative instruction that works. I recently participated in a group to make a lesson plan that promoted cooperative learning and instruction that will work. We designed a science lesson where the students were put in groups to develop a class presentation about plants. My job was to design how the project would be cooperative. In the project, the students worked in cooperative groups where each student was given a role. They could help each other out, but mostly, these roles were individual. When everyone had their part done, they would come together to create an online presentation, using an online presentation site, and give the presentation together to the class to share their knowledge. Students in the group will learn from each other, and they will instruct the class to learn from them!

I will be able to use the concept of CITW in the future because I believe in cooperative learning. It is another alternative to simply lecturing. CITW is flipping the classroom with an aspect of student roles and responsibilities. I will simply be a resource to my students, but it is up to them to get the work finished. Everything about CITW is a learning experience.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17zuGub3kEq7NQdXxBxgHDR3mE0xx2oQRhXC4o-T4FyM/edit

Chapter 7 Book Study

Page 106
Quote: "But the fear of society breaking apart is not nearly as great as it once was, and so the demand that public schools Americanize the diverse peoples in America has lost some of its force. Hence, we are willing to let different groups go their separate ways in private schools and homeschooling. In fact, the push for vouchers and charter schools is an effort to let parents take control of their children's education from the state."

There are several components to this quote: some I agree with, some I don't. I agree with the fact that schools aren't pushing everyone to adopt the American way of life. I believe fully in pluralism, and I welcome new cultures and traditions! I think it makes the classroom more colorful and unique, and it makes life more meaningful. However, I do NOT approve of private schools for just African-Americans or women. Women fought for the same rights as men for decades, and finally, those rights were granted, and they way we thank women for fighting for those rights is privatizing education, saying that men aren't allowed in this school? Or charter schools where you have to win the lottery in order to go there? This was not what Mann or Jefferson had in mind when it came to universal schools for common beliefs and knowledge. I don't believe we should all believe the same things, but I don't think separation is the right way to pursue schooling, especially since we've had a civil war over integration and women fighting for decades to do more with their life than just be a housewife. This is not the right way to thank all of the people that fought for a universal education. I do also believe, though, that parents should take some of the control over the government, but not when it comes to curricula or the standards. The professionals know what we need to learn; parents can choose how to let their child choose how they want to learn the material necessary for success.


Page 107
Quote: "There is also the potential decline of liberal arts as education becomes more centered on the individual. Will people seek out the kind of education that broadens them as people?"

I find this quote meaningful because I am worried that people won't get the education that will make them more of a well-rounded person. Charter schools are great for people who are sure of what they are going to do as a career. However, they miss out on the other part of schooling, such as gym, music, art, Spanish, etc. What if the only school offerred was a charter school? People won't be as open to diversity, we won't have music or art to listen to, and even though we may have more mathematicians and scientists, part of what makes the United States so unique is the diversity of likes and personalities. If students are surrounded by one thing their whole life, they won't grow as an individual and will be very close-minded.


Page 109
Quote: "Education will be directed more toward what people want to learn, and hence, they will be more excited and drawn to learning."

Individualizing learning will be great because students will have a motivation to learn. When students are forced to learn something they aren't good at (and aren't getting the right support for) or something they can't seem to find any interest in, there isn't a motivation to continue learning. I know this from experience. There have been classes I have skipped in college because I can't find them interesting enough to read the material or continue the class. The only motivation was getting a good grade, and we don't want our students going through 12+ years of school with that as their only motivation. Everything in school can't be everything we want to learn, but using technology and digital tools can bring a new interest into even the most boring subjects.

Chapter 5 Book Study

Page 70
Quote: "Homeschooling goes against the spirit that moved Horace Mann and his colleagues to advocate universal schooling in order to integrate people from diverse cultures to share common knowledge and values."

I approve of homeschooling for certain people. However, students who are homeschooled do miss out on diversity. Unless their house has a mother from Germany, a father from Australia, a daughter from Honduras, and a brother from Russia, the student is deprived of natural diversity that occurs in schools all across the United States. There is also the pressure on the parents/guardians to provide a diverse culture to their child/student so that they can be prepared to have the same common knowledge and values, and not hit a huge culture shock when they enter out into the real world. However, I went to public school, and when I came to college, I was in a huge culture shock because I really wasn't introduced to much diversity. With that said, if homeschooling can provide a more diverse outlook on education, instead of a school where everyone is either black or white, and there are no differences, then homeschooling accomplishes was Mann and his colleagues were hoping for.


Page 71
Quote: "Workplace learning has been rapidly expanding over the last 25 years as companies and the public sector have realized they need to continually re-educate their workers to handle complex equipment and solve novel problems."

I found this quote meaningful because I agree with it. However, maybe this is just my teacher bias, but I have found that life is never-ending learning. So it is no surprise to me that companies have to reeducate their employees. They should be learning along with the changing of the times, similar to schools. However, I do sympathize on employees having to learn how to operate more complex equipment. For a teacher, or a factory employee, who went to school with books instead of tablets and iPads and now has to learn all of this technology, it is like going back to kindergarten and having to learn the basics all over again, just this time, it's in a foreign technological language.

Page 74
Quote: "The military has spent billions of dollars developing simulations that put learners into virtual worlds where they practice the skills they will need to carry out their jobs."

I have to laugh when I read this quote because the military spends billions of dollars for them to play games to prepare them for "real-life combat." Yet, our education system is so far behind. We're spending billions of dollars, too, but we're not preparing our students with the skills they will need to carry out their jobs in their futures. If we were, we would be spending money on technology, and following up on technology as it evolves so our students can evolve with it, too! Our military is one of the best of the world. Maybe we should take a hint from the military, and have our kids play games that will prepare them for their future jobs and careers. These games don't prepare them for being blown up; however, they know the technological skills necessary to not get blown up. Our students are still using only age-old computers and calculators, and schools are just starting to introduce the SMART Board; however, once they get out into the real-world, they are going to be blown away with the fact that they have to go back to school in order to learn the technology necessary for their careers.

Chapter 4 Book Study

Page 52
Quote: "Taxpayers were reluctant to pay for education, and towns frequently reaffirmed parents' responsibility for educating their children. Yet, once schools were established, parents were quite willing to send their children to these schools, rather than teaching them at home."

I found this quote true. I see this in every day life. Parents love to send their children to school so they can either work or have the day to themselves. However, parents are also very touchy about the money they pay for teachers to spend a whole day with their child. With all of the politics going on about education, and teacher's losing their support from parents and the government, parents seem very willing to give up on education, but if they love sending their kids to school so much, then they need to be okay with the fact that without teachers, their child will spend the whole day with them instead. Their child's education will be up to them, regardless if the parents are working 40+ hour weeks. Some parents are great with homeschooling, but for a family where both parents work, there has to be a school available. Online schools and homeschooling aren't going to cut it and prepare the child for his or her successful future if the parents can't teach and a school isn't available. We need to invest in our schools.


Page 55
Quote: "This signals the shift that occurred in education, from a family responsibility to a state responsibility."

I found this quote meaningful because the shift did occur, from the family's responsibility for their children's education to the state/government. However, whether it was a beneficial shift is sketchy. There are several events that occurred because the government cared about education, such as education of women, of people of different races, and common standards. Unfortunately, there is a shift happening now where the government is trying to change up education so we can keep up with China's and Japan's education. Instead of helping education, however, this "help" to fix education in the United States is hurting teachers instead. There seems to be the idea that teachers don't work enough, and the idea that teachers are babysitters as well as the teachers. Before anything can be fixed in education, I think the state and government need to show the nation the importance of education and of teachers.


Page 56
Quote: "But as the system became more rigid, it ceased to evolve as the society around it continued to evolve, and so in recent years, it has become more and more out of sync with the demands of a continually evolving society."

This quote is completely true! We spent several decades perfecting schooling, making it more structured for the students, teachers, and parents. However, we seemed to forget that we were a growing nation, financially, technologically, and with our population/diversity. We never stopped growing, so it amazes me that the leaders of our great nation forgot to include this into education. We put so much emphasis on making sure everyone knew the importance of having an education, yet we didn't apply what was happening in the nation to our schools. It took several decades for African-Americans to be allowed into schools and to be integrated into our society, but there had been numerous racial issues dating way before the 1860s! It is like education is completely separate from the nation, yet such a big part of our nation at the same time. Even today, schools are just incorporating iPads into the classroom, but nationally, the Chromebook and Tablets such as the Nexus 7 are beginning to give the iPad a run for its money. Microsoft is still not available in some schools, but already, Microsoft is changing to keep up with the times! Education is a slower version of what happens in our society, kind of like the technology that is currently being used: slower versions of what was yesterday's new technology.

Chapter 3 Book Study

Page 33
Quote: "Blackboards and overhead projectors provide cheap ways to support teacher explanations and sharing work."

I chose this quote because even though I agree with the cost factor, blackboards and overhead projectors don't support explanations/sharing work enough anymore. Students are so involved with technology that to read a blackboard is asking a caffeine addict to not drink coffee for a whole day. Students either can't be focused enough on a simple blackboard and won't be able to learn the information and learning techniques necessary for future employment. If students are really supposed to go to school to prepare themselves for their future careers, then we as teachers need to keep up with the times. I know for myself that I wouldn't be able to learn the information I am learning now with SMART Boards (Interactive Whiteboard), practicum (first-hand experience), podcasts, screencasts, and online resources using a blackboard instead.


Page 44
Quote: "Schooling is built on the notion that the teacher is an expert, whose job is to pass on his or her expertise to students."

I believe this is true, and I also believe that this needs to stay the focus in education, not necessarily the whole focus, however. I want students to grow for themselves and be able to find information on their how, but when a teacher's reliability is tested for a piece of objective technology, students won't run to the teacher for help. They'll take the easier route, even if they lose the interaction and discussion. If schools are going to take a charter school route and focus on one subject, though, I think there may be a chance for more jobs. We need teachers to teach specifics, like art, music, technology, mechanics, etc. Bring in the experts, create jobs, and allow students to learn what they want, while learning things that will help them succeed at the same time.


Page 45
Quote: "There is a deep belief among teachers and parents that to truly learn something, it is critical to do it on your own without any reliance on outside resources."

I believe this quote to an extent. If you dp something for a child before they have the chance to learn it for themselves, you take away the opportunity for them to grow. Students need a chance to do things for themselves, but not everything. There are things that students are not mentally or emotionally prepared for to do on their own. This is where teachers, parents, and guidance comes into play. To truly learn something, you need scaffolding until you no longer need that assistance and can learn further on your own (ZPD). You can't simply eliminate teachers. Even if school becomes all online, there will always be the need for teachers; that's been proven since before the United States became what it is today.

Chapter 2 Book Study

Page 10
Quote: "Enthusiasts argue that trying to prepare students for the 21st century with 19th century technology is like teaching people to fly a rocket ship by having them ride bicycles."

I find this quote meaningful because we live in the 21st century. What this means is that every day, we are using cellphones, smartphones, laptops, iPads, computers, televisions, smart televisions, etc. With all of this technology that is advancing the workplace, we need to use technology to teach our students in order for them to be prepared with what will be their future. If we teach only using box computers and calculators but not using any of the tools online, or not using SMART Boards and instead using blackboards, our students are not going to become as knowledgeable as they need to be. Not only will we be teaching the standard material, but we also need to teach the standards, meaning that students will learn how to be resourceful, organized, and creative and critical thinkers. New technology is the only way for students to be able to master these standards. Blackboards and chalk aren't going to cut it.


Page 14
Quote: "Enthusiasts argue for just-in-time learning as the counter to the school strategy of trying to teach everything one might need to know someday. Many Americans spend 15-20 years in school learning things that they may or may not use later in life."

I find this quote meaningful because I felt that way in school, too. I would learn pre-calculus, but what would I use that knowledge for? I still haven't found a use for it. Just-in-time learning will prepare our students to be able to find the resources necessary to find the information just in time. What is happening in schools right now is just-in-case learning. We learn all this information just in case we need it later in life. However, most students forget what they learned, or have a hard time remembering the full details. With just-in-time learning, schools can focus on specifics instead of trying to cover great detail in such a little time. Schools can focus on helping students be resourceful, like the standard.



Page 17
Quote: "Once technologies become commonplace in schools, teachers can build on interventions like the IEP to bring customized learning to more schools."

I chose this quote because this book, I feel, has it wrong. The IEP already takes into consideration technology. In several practicums, the students in special education use iPads, voice/hearing tools, sight tools, etc. Understanding more technology will help find more ways to customize learning. Instead of focusing on special education, which is more advanced than the general education classroom, focus on how customizing education for every student will be helpful or detrimental. Technology will help students that are in Tier 2, however, because these students don't need special education services yet, but technology may help them get to Tier 1 faster and more efficiently.

Chapter 1 Book Study

Page 3
Quote: "People around the world are taking their education out of school into homes, libraries, internet cafes, and workplaces, where they can decide what they want to learn, when they want to learn, and how they want to learn."

I find this quote meaningful because this is exactly what we, as preservice teachers, are entering into as teachers, as well as what we are going through. Schools aren't completely to the point where students are deciding what and when they learn. However, we are getting closer to students choosing how they want to learn. This can be really beneficial for students because teachers can get a more accurate assessment of what the students are learning, as well as the students actually learning. The book also discusses the fact that students will soon be able to chose what they want to learn. This is happening with homeschools, charter schools, etc. Every day, young students, older students, and adults not in school anymore are learning more and more, and it isn't in a school. It's on the internet. We need to prepare ourselves for more of this, and learn ways to make sure that it stays beneficial, because if technology is really going to replace schools, then we as teachers need to make sure the students are getting an appropriate education, whatever that might be.

Page 6
Quote: "Technology makes life more difficult for teachers."

This is a simple quote, but it sums up everything that I am feeling right now as a preservice teacher. To a student who has a question about a topic, the student can either wait for the teacher to give an answer that he or she may not be sure about, or go online to find the answer, which is more likely going to be for sure correct. This diminishes a teacher's reliability to his or her students. Technology is great for teaching, however, because it offers so many resources that can fit each student's individual learning style. This can have negative effects, though, because a teacher who went to school years ago will have to learn each new tool and not know its full range of benefits or dangers. Also, because technology isn't fully supported academically or financially, a teacher that wants to include more technology in the classroom is left out all alone to support it.

Page 7
Quote: "In particular, the new technologies can undermine both Jefferson's vision of educating citizens who can make sensible public policy decisions and Mann's vision of a society where everyone can succeed by obtaining a public education."

Without schools and structure of a school day (and all that a school day can offer), people will be left on their own to learn. With homeschools, the parents can become qualified to teach. However, it is not a requirement that they do. With online learning, there is an online professor. Most of the work is left up to the student, which is great for learning responsibility and time-management. Unfortunately, online learning is only available to people who have specific interests, or for students who aren't able to attend a school for physical, mental, or behavioral/emotional issue. The other issue with no school is that people will be able to learn what they want to learn. The bad thing about this is that people aren't going to be prepared for if their career path doesn't work out for them. Also, they have to make sure they get the basic knowledge necessary for every day life, like math and science. Schools provide this for us so we do have a chance for success in life.

Gaming Criteria

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jWzmqVlFaYYXEn7hzPSLtGYmaEB4f5S9VWRMeTcvrgQ/edit

Evaluation of Online Brain Teasers/ Lumosity

This game is a great tool for people that need to improve their cognitive attention and creativity. I tried it on my own and it gave me three brain games to play that helped me practice attention, multitasking (though being good at multitasking is opinionated!), and memory. The site chose games for me based on what I wanted to improve.

Evaluation of online strategy game

http://www.learn4good.com/kids-games/board/allout.htm

This website is a terrible website for children. First off, a devil is the host of the game. Second, when you can't figure out the puzzle, the devil will ask you if you would like to sell your soul to the devil for a solution. It is a terrible role model for children! Now, for a college student, as a brain teaser, that's fine because we are experienced enough to not be tricked by this "devil" guy. For a childrens' strategy game, if I were a child, I wouldn't want to ever find a strategy! Terrible website.

Evaluation of Online Game: Do2Learn Synonyms and Antonyms

This game would work with students who are learning about synonyms and antonyms. As an Autism Line Therapist, I would use this game because it works on opposites and similarities, as well as putting puzzle pieces together. However, it seems like it is an only one-time use game.

Khan Academy

I loved (!) exploring Khan Academy's website. It was modern with the black screen and easy colors to visualize what was being taught. I also liked the idea of "community questions." This is where anyone can post a question and get an answer. There are also suggestions on the side. For example, don't repeat what others post, just vote it up or down instead. I actually chose to watch a video on geometric proofs. I struggle with these in my geometry class, but when I watched what the instructor was doing, I could rewind or pause the video to process what was being said. There were several videos for different proofs, as well as over 100 videos for just geometry! After watching the video, I could post a question and receive an answer.

How can data drive instruction?

Reviewing data like NETS quiz can help you as a teacher see where you are going wrong with instruction. If the students are struggling getting the idea from your question, then you may be writing it wrong. For example, our group looked at question 2, and we realized that the students probably don't understand what two of the options mean, and that's why over half of the class clicked on that choice.
I will definitely use data like this in my classroom because it is a check-up on how I am doing as a teacher, and if the students are learning from me. This is important because these students are going to be with me all year, so I need to be sure that I am an effective teacher for all of my students. Data like this can help me see the big picture. If just one student is struggling, then I can work individually, but if over half of my class is struggling, I need to fix my approach and figure out where my students are struggling.

Wallwisher

We recently showed my screencast of Wallwisher to Ed 331, and went over its advantages and disadvantages. Wallwisher is a great tool for going over chapter material but in simple terms. You can post the main ideas and comments, but going into a deep synopsis isn't realistic on Wallwisher. However, you do get the main idea across easily. Also, you can organize the thoughts, so if you read three chapters, you can either make a wall for each chapter or organize one wall into three separate sections for three ideas. One wall is also a convenient way to show the connections between all three chapters. In our case, we read one chapter, and each table wrote up their own ideas. We then conversed about the topics, and Wallwisher made it easy for us to state the main ideas and then have a deeper discussion verbally.
One of the weaknesses, however, was that the control of the wall was in one person's hands. Others could post on the wall, but the organization was up to the creater. Another weakness was that when looking at the wall on someone else's computer, the posts were all in different places. It was confusing to understand the organization so I had to reorganize my posts. They weren't organized on my page, but they looked organized on other computers.
Wallwisher is going to be easy to incorporate into the classroom because you can do so much with it. I can post discussions on material that we covered. I can post a wall for resources. I can create a wall where students can anonymously post questions. I can have each student create a wall for their todo lists. For students that can't write, or have difficulty reading their writing, I can have my students type up their notes.

Using a Podcast for discussion of book material

Using a podcast to discuss the chapters in the book was definitely a different experience for me. I am not sure I liked it, however. I enjoyed discussing the material with people that I haven't talked to before, but as soon as we got the microphone in our hands, we all got camera shy and couldn't think straight. We would lose our points and get distracted easily. However, as soon as the microphone was put down, we'd be able to figure out what we were trying to say. It's a good strategy for those that don't like to talk in class, but personally, I would prefer to discuss in front of the class than with a microphone. Also, it took a lot longer to get the podcast to actually work than it did to discuss the material, so overall, it was time-consuming.

Despite for my dislike of using the podcast for these two chapters, I would like to use podcasting in my classroom. I would possibly try the microphone, especially if it is with a younger group, one that doesn't have so many insecurities (ME!!), but overall, I would probably just use the microphone on the computer because all students have to do is talk, not hold a microphone, but just talk and discuss. This way, there isn't any camera shyness. On the contrary, using a microphone might help get people to open up more and use their shyness to their advantage (or learn how to), so I wouldn't be objected to using it all the time if that's what the students approved of.

Reaction to self-grading tests

I believe that self-grading tests can be beneficial if used the right way and with limited use. If using a self-graded test, students can go back to the questions they got wrong and learn the right answer. However, this can't be done on every test because students will just simply guess the answer knowing that afterward, they can go back and correct it. Now, if the students will receive the first grade as their final grade, and they can't receive points back when self-correcting it, then I believe that's okay each time. Self-grading can also reduce some test anxiety knowing that YOU, yourself, are the one grading it, not the teacher. This is only the case, however, if the student is the only one finding the correct answer. Students shouldn't work every time together on correcting it. Other students can be a resource, but if every student is just using the student's work who got every answer right, students aren't really learning the material and how they got the answer wrong.
In my Special Education classroom, I will use self-grading tests. I believe that it is another learning strategy that could be very beneficial to a student with a learning disability. However, I will make sure that I only use it a few times, if I am the one giving the exam, and I will make sure that the students receive several resources to help them find the answer. I believe this is also a great teachable moment because students can learn ways to take exams, that work best for them, and they can learn to not cheat because they are the ones  grading the exam. They could easily erase their answer, and pencil in the correct answer. Overall, I believe self-grading tests have several benefits but when used in moderation.

Chapters 1 and 2 of Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology

After reading the first chapter, it makes me kind of scared to enter into the world of teaching, but also very excited. I am scared because teaching isn't going to be what I saw my mother doing. I excited though because I am learning about technology now, and I can be prepared for what schools are going to expect (no technology) and what the students are going to need (more understanding of technology). I feel that it is not a good idea for schools to not give money to teachers for technology because students from a very young age are using more and more technology a day, from cell phones to computers to iPads. Students are beginning to learn for themselves at a young age too, and when they come into school, not having technology available will stunt their learning.

As soon as I started reading chapter 2, I found it incredibly interesting that technology does so much. Page 9 has a list of things that technology does: "reading and interacting with the web; writing memos and sending email; computing with spreadsheets and statistical analysis programs; analyzing problems with data visualization tools; creating social networking sites; marketing with digital video tools; and making presentations with PowerPoint."

"Reading, writing, calculating, and thinking are what education is all about."

This statement is so true, yet teachers and/or administrators don't want to stray away from the traditional teaching, using books and lectures. In order to read, write, calculate, and think in today's age, there needs to be an understanding of technology. This will in turn allow students to think in new ways that will advance their thinking. This chapter really nails in the idea that everything is changing: how we think, how we communicate, and even how we learn. Communication isn't just now taking a test and telling the teacher, "Oh, I don't really understand this." Instead, there are so many ways to now communicate, through technology, through classroom work using other assessments other than worksheets and tests..

The chapter addresses a topic of "just-in-time learning." This notion is that whenever you need to learn something else in order to accomplish a task, you can find out what you need to know. This notions contradicts the tradition notion of educators that you need to learn everything you can possible while in school just in case you need to know it later. With this said, we spend over 15 years in school learning stuff that we don't really need to know. It isn't a waste of time, but to the person who knows exactly what they are good at, such as the student who drops out and becomes the inventor of the computer, they spend time in class not really learning. "The skills necessary for just-in-time learning are more skill-based than fact-based." This learning of skills will be more beneficial to everyone because they will be able to apply those skills to anything in life.

This chapter also focuses on enhancing learning through customization, learner control (a part of customization), interaction, scaffolding (a part of education, whether you incorporate technology or not), games and simulation, multimedia, publication, and reflection (again, an important part of education whether there is the incorporation of technology or not).

Credibility of Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division

http://www.dhmo.org/

This website has a lot of positives going for it. For example, it was last updated today. That shows that the person creating this keeps on working on it. Also, there are supporters for the page. For example, the translation is powered by AltaVista Babel fish and the page is hosted by AgoraNet. AgoraNet is a site for small businesses. I appreciate that the website ables you to email them about questions. They say they can't reply to every one of the messages, but they do read them all. The website offers payment options for purchasing DHMO goods, but I probably wouldn't buy anything from this website because when I looked at the goods in their store, there weren't even real pictures; they were cartoon t-shirts. I would probably use the information from this website because their information is given in a format that is reliable. For example, their FAQs aren't questions about how to pronounce a last name. Instead, the questions are "what is Dihydrogen Monoxide" and "should I be concerned about Dihydrogen Monoxide?"

Credibility of All About Explorers

http://allaboutexplorers.com/

I found something interesting right away while first investigating the website. When I clicked on the authors link on the top of the page, it led me to a list of authors. At the bottom, it said, "Hmm, not buying it? Click here for the real story." I clicked and it lead me to a page with only two authors on it. I can't tell if that is reliable or not. I actually do not like it. However, I do appreciate that they offered the "authors" link. The site also had a link for references. However, on the references page, the first thing you see is "Reliable Research Sources." It's almost like they feel the need to sell you the fact that their references are reliable. Instead, what they should have done was take that out, because before I saw that, I did think the sources could be reliable. I also looked for the credit for the website, and at the bottom of the page, there was a link for "wordpress." I clicked on it, and wordpress happens to be a blogging site. This could be reliable if the authors were scholars. However, if I were going to do research, this isn't a website I would use.

Credibility of Martin Luther King Jr. website

http://martinlutherking.org/

I was not very pleased to observe this site because I felt it was very racist. Just because Martin Luther King Jr. was an African American doesn't mean he was a rapper or that he celebrated Kwanzaa. There also wasn't an author, except for "stormfront," which when I clicked on it, it lead me to a "White Pride World Wide" website. Unless I am a racist looking for more racist support, there would be no use of this website for me. Terrible website. This is not accurate, it is not valid, and there is no reliability.

Credibility on ZPi: Save the Pacific Northwest...

http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

I am thinking that this website is not a credible source for a few reasons. However, to begin with, there is one thing that could fool a reader. The site was recently updated in September, with recent "news" from October. This could fool someone because it shows that the person creating this site is keeping up with recent news; it isn't just a gig that someone made up ten years ago. This is the only positive to this site. Using the guidelines from kathyschrock.net, finding information about the author wasn't easy. I found it in the FAQ area, and the frequently asked questions just happened to be about his last name and how to pronounce it. Odd questions to be frequently asking.. Also, at the bottom of the page, there was a line that said this website had no connections to any other schools, universities, or scholars except for "Wild Haggis Conservation Society." Most societies are for students. I couldn't even click on a link from the page to investigate on the society. Also, this is just personal value, but the page was very hard to read and didn't act as a scholarly page. I wouldn't trust information from this website.

Creating a screencast

This was my first time ever creating a screencast, and let's just say, the end product is better than I thought it was going to be the whole time creating it. There definitely were some difficulties in creating a screencast. For example, I had a difficult time getting the jing capture to fit my whole screen since it only goes to a certain length. I also had personal difficulty explaining wallwisher.com while trying to read my script. I tried explaining without reading, but my train of thought went askew. Next time, I might try to memorize what I would like to say. Creating a screencast was also fun, though, because I got to hear myself using advanced technology. I'm not usually advanced in technology and doing a screencast proves to myself that I can work with technology. I look forward to using screencasting in my classroom, and I might use screencasting for other things, just for fun (maybe even my wedding website!). I'm just proud of myself that I created something that someone else might be able to use in the future! I think I might like to post a screencast on how to create a screencast; might be kind of fun! Here is the link to what I created!!http://www.screencast.com/t/2sazEegQz0et  Enjoy!

Epilogue of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts

I enjoyed the epilogue: it wasn't anything that I expected. It was a story of a teacher who, in the matter of 15 minutes, created a literature homework assignment and sent an email to the parents notifying them that their child has homework, scanned a compiled list of summaries that links to all the work his students did last night, has scanned a New York Times article that his journalism students will use, bookmarked and saved to his Diigo toolbar, looked as his RSS feeds to read up on the lastest news, and organized his email inbox, all in time to open his classroom door to the sound of happy students. The epilogue pretty much summed up the entire book, with all of the uses that technology offers, from podcasts to RSS feeds to weblogs to bookmarking. As an educator, it is important to understand how to use technology for yourself, the parents, and most importantly, the students. In the epilogue, the teacher set up a connection between the teacher and parents where parents can receive a notification that their child has homework that night. I think it reallly is incredible that the teacher did all of this in such a short time. This makes more time to work with the students, and also more time to focus on the students. I definitely intend to use as much technology in my classroom that I can, for my benefit and most importantly, my students' benefit. As a special education teacher, research is coming out showing that technology is one of the most beneficial tactics for students in a special education setting. With that said, I will do everything I can to learn about technology for the benefit of my students.

Chapter 10 of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts

Chapter 10's focus was mainly on what it all means, what this whole books means. The line that stuck out most to me is that we, as educators and people using technology, "are tapping into the potential of a World Wide Web that is a conversation, not a lecture, where knowledge is shaped and acquired through a social process, and where ideas are presented as a starting point for dialogue, not an ending point" (Siemens, 2005, p.148). I thought that this quote really summed up the whole book, with wikis and podcasts, technology in the classroom, and interacting as a whole world. In the classroom, this is also very true. Bringing technology into the classroom in today's age is like bringing in a conversation because we don't have to just lecture anymore. Even in a traditional history classroom, where it is typical to lecture, there are so many options for students to be engaged in the classroom and learn beyond just a book's potential. This brings me to the chapter's focus on the big shifts in how to effectively teach students.
Big Shift one focuses on the information we teach being current, unlike a textbook who's information can be outdated in just a few years. Another shift is that the teacher can teach and learn and the students can learn and teach as well. Teaching is also the conversation. Students teaching other students and the teacher show the students that their voices and opinions matter. All ideas are starting points, not ending points. Even if a student doesn't give the correct answer, that opens the door to explaining why that isn't correct or imploring why that answer might ok in some situations. It's an opportunity to explain more.
One of my favorite shifts is the Big Shift 9: Mastery is the product, not the test. Mastery isn't just passing the test anymore. There are several ways for students to show that they understand and have mastered the content. A simple paper test isn't the best assessment for all students, and technology offers a way for students to be accurately assessed. I also appreciate the fact that the chapter addressed the issue that what gets put on the internet isn't always truthful, that we need to be critical consumers. This is a great learning experience for everyone, students and teachers, because it requires the reader to use critical thinking, to determine if what is being displayed is the truth.
The big shifts used in this chapter are a great resource for the classroom because they are "starting points" for discussion and reminders that the internet offers its own resources, and being used the right way allows a student to get the most out of his or her education. Being a teacher is today's age, I will use these shifts and be reminded of the changing internet and technology and that this is just the beginning.

20 things I learned about Browsers and the Web

I enjoyed reading this online book, with the url: http://www.20thingsilearned.com/en-US. It was very informative about the nitty gritty about the internet. I had no idea what URL meant or that apps are simply web browser applications that are very safe because they don't require you to have to download anything. I also knew nothing about how the internet was started, or the TCP/IP, or Internet Protocol Suite. One of the things that I kind of already knew about was that emails or pictures or any data sent to another place on the internet is broken up into smaller pieces. The book explains that these smaller chunks are "packets." The more packets you can send, the larger the "bandwidth," or the amount of data you can send over your interconnection per second.
I've also wondered what "the cloud" was because I've seen it promoted on television commercials. What the cloud means is that data can migrate beyond the boundaries of your computer and can be accessed anywhere around the world. Even if a truck crushes your computer, your data can still be accessed on an internet-connected computer. I enjoyed this book; I especially liked that it was like a real book.

Digital Nation

Wow. There were a lot of angles in this video on the influences of multitasking, the influence of technology on your life career, how technology can add years to a life, and how to teach using technology. When I first started watching the video, the topic was multitasking and the students at MIT, how they are the smartest and the most wired students in the nation right now. There was a test given to the students who were the most severe multitaskers. They showed only a few clips, but even with those clips, I realized that I am a terrible multitasker! This makes me think that my students better not be multitasked because they won't benefit as much. However, the video also discussed how students of today's age are natives to technology compared to the adults of today, who would be considered the immigrants. Technology is second nature to them. No one knows what the effects of a lot of technology will be yet; for example, look at how long it took for everyone to realize that smoking is bad for us, but who knows? Multitasking with technology could prove beneficial.
Another aspect of the video was teaching with technology. One commentator said that using all of the technology has made the students' attention span very short. As soon as we have an urge, we need to fulfill that urge. He calls today's teaching "instant-gratification education." One student said a quote that makes me think: "Sometimes the teachers bore us so we go online.." We need to stop that quote right at "sometimes the teachers bore us.." If students are getting bored, we as teachers are doing something wrong. It was proven in the video that using internet can increase math scores and attendance, can lower violence, and can open the mind in new ways. Obviously this means that students have the capacity and desire to learn, so if students are saying they're bored so they go check Facebook, we need to change our tactics. Technology has proven facts that it can be beneficial to a student's learning experience, and in today's age, students will have to learn technology before graduating in order to have a decent career, so we need to learn technology and learn how to best teach while using technology and keeping the kids engaged. In South Korea, students as young as 6 know how to use the internet as well as what is appropriate on the internet. One commentator said that America might not be able to do this like the Koreans, but we can find our ways to use the internet for the right uses and to grasp its full potential.

Designing an IWB

Creating a SMARTboard lesson plan was very instructional and a valuable learning experience because SMARTboards are used in nearly every classroom. It is also a useful technology to use with and teach to students of all ages. When designing this lesson plan, a lot of effort was put into searching through the several websites that offer help with this! I bookmarked 20 websites that I loved the ideas. When finally deciding on a lesson, I ended up using ideas from 3 websites. I then went straight into the SMARTnotebook, and started playing around with what the notebook offers. I didn't end up using the first lesson I designed simply because after playing around with it another day, I found so many more cool things, like the gallery for pictures and animations. After I met with my partner, I was given advice to make things more interesting looking, such as adding color in the background. I'm a believer in keeping the font normal and black, so things aren't too overstimulating; however, I did add some color. I was tempted to use the gradients offerred, but again, it might be too overstimulation, especially in special education. My biggest struggle came when designing the game at the end. I needed to create a finish line, but I couldn't find one. Instead, I used a hurdle, used the green mover to tilt the hurdle and then tilted the number line. In the end, it really did look like a finish line. I also needed to figure out how to flip the runner, which was actually easy. All I needed to use was the right click button.
Creating an IWB impacts my future career as a teacher because research is coming out with support for the use of SMARTboards in Special Education classrooms. Since I am going into Special Education, I need to understand at minimum beyond the basics. This lesson gave me insight to the abilities that not only the SMARTboard but also other technologies possess. I look forward to sharing my lesson plan, especially because I will get constructive criticism back that will make my lesson plan even better!
https://uwsp.courses.wisconsin.edu/d2l/common/viewFile.d2lfile/Database/MTgzODQ4MTA/331%20smartboard%20lesson%20plan.docx?ou=1850169
https://uwsp.courses.wisconsin.edu/d2l/common/viewFile.d2lfile/Database/MTgzODQ4MTE/new%20smart%20board%20lesson%20plan.notebook?ou=1850169

What it was like creating a podcast

I made my podcast with a partner which definitely had its benefits! We could bounce ideas off of each other really well, since we both had read the article and agreed on most points. Also, when creating the podcast, she mainly controlled it because it was on her computer, but she had the extra set of eyes to point out things she couldn't find. There was a lot of great teamwork! There were definitely some struggles, however. For example, neither of us could remember that in order to move the sections, we had to stop the whole thing. Even at the end, when we had already been putting in four hours of effort, we still kept forgetting to stop everything else! When we did happen to remember to stop everything, we found everything was much easier to move when we moved sections onto the same line so there were only one or two lines (kind of like cutting and pasting, which was used, too!). Overall, making this project was a fun learning experience! We worked well passed midnight, and even some more the next day, so it took a lot of time and effort. Overall, though, I definitely plan on using podcasts again someday!

Free Tools Challenge #1: Wallwisher – Words That Stick

Free Tools Challenge #1: Wallwisher – Words That Stick

Chapter 9 reflection

This chapter was about social networks, and their educational benefits. I suppose I will start off saying that there are several educational tools; however, I am very skeptical about allowing the use of Facebook and ning.com in the classroom. I am open to using them, however, because it can teach students how to use Facebook the right way, and it is a way to monitor what students are doing on Facebook, and maybe to prevent cyberbullying?
The chapter mentioned that Facebook has this new tool, "courses." This is simply a closed place that students and teachers can exchange information, answer questions, write on each other's walls, and create a shared space for materials. This is great for students who tend to be more quiet, and also for students to ask questions. This can also be used as a great support tool, such as the example where a student had a serious health issue and the other students helped support her and keep her informed.
There is also another option, if teachers don't want to use Facebook: Ning.com. Ning is kind of like Facebook, except that it is totally self-contained so that it is entirely private to only those who are invited to see it. One great use of Ning is that students can practice their writing skills and get constructive feedback from teachers and students. Again, this is another way to show students constructive use of the internet.
I understand the uses of Facebook and Ning, but I would feel much better using Ning versus Facebook. However, using either will definitely keep students engaged. However, what I don't understand is why bring in Facebook when it gives students the opportunity to check their statuses, not be engaged, etc. when instead you could use blogger or flickr, both with the pictures, videos, and discussions.

Chapter 7 Reflection

This chapter focused on the use of Flickr, a web-based digital photography tool. It has also recently evolved into a video-hosting tool, as well. After reading this chapter, I would love to use Flickr in the classroom! I am  very interested in making sure parents know what is going on in the classroom, and this is a way to do just that. I also like how the chapter says that Flickr is a way to "celebrate the good work that students do every day...by putting it online for all (or some to see)" (102). One thing I am worried about, though, is making sure the pictures and videos put up online are appropriate. Introducing Flickr to my students will have its educational benefits, but it is also introducing them to yet another socializing tool. What they do with it outside of class is up to them, but it is up to me as their teacher to teach them the importance of keeping what goes online private and appropriate. One way that Flickr helps to control photos is by making a limit on the "free" version of Flickr of 500 photos. Also, if you want to allow only certain people view the pictures, such as classmates, there is an option to "invite" members to see your pictures. This way, no one else in the public can view them.
I really like the educational benefits from Flickr. For example, it is a great discussion tool. Not only can students post interactive learning tools, such as the example with Jane Goodall's necessities, but students can discuss information about Jane Goodall, what she did, and what were her accomplishments. This is a great way for students to interact and learn more. I also like how Flickr is in touch with Google Reader. This is a fantastic way to show students the benefits of the internet and how they can stay interconnected. It makes it much easier to teach and understand.

Chapter 8 on Podcasting

I am actually excited about podcasting, which is the main focus in Chapter 8. It's a way to get students engaged in the classroom. There are ways to incorporate podcasting in any subject. In history, students can have political discussions or give oral reports. In science, students can verbally share their results of an experience or explain a process. For any teacher, podcasting is a great way to keep parents involved and up to date, and to share what was missed for students that didn't attend that class. As a special education teacher, I feel that podcasting can bring in a new element to learning. For the students with a learning disability, podcasting might be an easier way to learn about something. For example, if they are struggling with reading, creating a podcast will help them practice speech and fluency, and then listening back to it is another way to "study" or review the story again, and can be saved for a later time, too. For students with behavioral or emotional problems, this is a way to keep them engaged in school. It adds the "fun" component to school! For students in the English Language Learners program (ELL), this is a way for them to practice speaking English and listening to English.
As a teacher, I will definitely add the technology component, especially podcasting, after I practice it more on my own, of course! Kids today are growing up practically with technology in their bones. It is important for them to learn as much about technology that they can, since most employers will want those fluent with technology. As a special education teacher, I feel that adding technology to the classroom will give my students an even greater opportunity to succeed in life! What is really great about the podcasting is that students are able to do it without having to purchase extremely expensive technology. They can do it simply with an iTunes account or off of a school computer. This can make sure that those students that are lower socioeconomically can always participate with technology, even if technology isn't available at home.

Growing Up Online

Before watching this video, I recall that all I used to think internet did was give out information and be a resource to students. However, this video reminded me of the dangers the internet pose. The internet allows people to share their opinions;  however, immediately in the introduction, students were posting videos of themselves dancing to rock music and complaining about their parents! The internet has become a place for people to share stuff.. which is all that it is.. stuff. Stuff that can stay in their own lives, that will NOT benefit anyone else! Not only this, but the internet has now become a place to bully others, and get away with it because adults are just learning technology. Kids these days have grown up with technology practically in their bones. Watching these clips have scared me. Before, I was okay with teaching technology, but  now, I am hoping that I will have enough knowledge on how to teach youth how to not let technology control them and their actions. Honestly, though, I doubt I will be able to reach the youth. They've already had so much access to what the internet offers, and know the internet better than the back of their palm. Not only do the children know how to use the internet for bad things, but adults do too, to creep into young childrens' lives.
As a teacher, I will do everything in my power to prevent today's and the future's youth to avoid people that attack young people, and to promote positive interaction among each other. I have heard of schools actually taking time out of the day to practice positive interaction among everyone, bringing all of the cliques together and getting people talking and interacting with new people. In the end, they have stated that there is less bullying since they've started this. I would like to do this with technology.

Chapter 4 and 5 continued

In chapter 5, it says that RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a technology that those in an education program need to start using immediately, so that when we become teachers, we can teach it to our students. Instead of searching through 30 or 40 different sites that will all have relevant information for a project, RSS feeds will go through feeds that you have subscribed to, file them for later use, and when you want to look through them later, you will be given the chance to keep the truly relevant ones and delete the rest; you don't have to do the work keeping all of the sites and then looking through them later. In other words, you can read more content in less time. RSS feeds also have a feature that allows you to use keywords, so that the RSS feed will look for sites that have that keyword in it. As for a benefit for students, they will be immediately updated when new information about topics is published. The chapter also discusses the importance of Google.
After reading this chapter, I am more encouraged to use what the internet offers in my classroom and in my own life. Students growing up in this technological age are introduced to the internet at a young age. That is a lot of information all at once; having an RSS feed is like having a personal assistant sift through all of the sites and find the safe and relevant ones. With the use of RSS feeds with blogs, instead of looking through all of your students' blogs, you can use their RSS feeds to scan through all of the class content in one place, make sure it's appropriate, and then comment on it.

Chapter 4 and 5 of Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts

Before I started reading, I remembered back in high school when teachers would tell us that we couldn't use Wikipedia as a source for papers because it wasn't "trustworthy" enough. We were told that people always hack into Wikipedia and put fake pages on there. This concern was addressed immediately in Chapter 4. "If anyone can edit anything on the site any time they want, how in the world can you trust what you read there" (56). As a teacher, I know that I will encourage students to use Wikipedia, even with this concern. However, as it explained in the book, most people get the "pedia" part of Wikipedia, which is just the encyclopedia. Most don't know what the "wiki" means. With this said, I would like to teach my students the benefits of using Wikipedia as a source of information, as well as what Wikipedia is, and why people can break into Wikipedia to create false pages but how it is easily fixed.
As a teacher, it is important for me to go through the pages beforehand to get a feel for what the students are reading. If it doesn't sound or isn't correct, either don't allow students to use that page or share my results and show that you can't trust everything on the internet.
Knowing that the internet does in fact allow fake pages and information is scary and dangerous; however, it is important to take action against using pages that don't sound right.

Favorite meaningful blogging strategy

After reviewing the 14 steps to a meaningful student blog, I first note that all of the steps are very important and crucial to creating a true blog. However, the one that stuck out the most to me was number 11: Don't Grade. Maybe it's just because I was always graded on everything that I wrote, but I just don't feel that students' free thoughts and opinions should be graded. Yes, grammar and language should be emphasized on during class time; however, no student should receive a "b" or "c" just because they have terrible spelling but really good content. I feel that allowing students to freely express thoughts and opinions and know that they aren't being graded will encourage more critical thinking and allow those that are quiet to say anything they feel. It will bring out more expression, and people can learn more about others because no one is afraid of getting a bad grade for saying what is on their mind. I would have loved something like this in high school. I don't know if this would be an effective assessment, but it might be interesting giving students blogging tests, to get a better feel for what the students know.

Chapter 3

Our chapter is mainly about blogging and the technicalities of it, as a spinoff of chapter 2. An enduring understanding is as a teacher, to look over the options out there for blogging, as well as the actual blog before introducing it to other students. Get to know the ins and outs of the site before attempting to teach it. Also, start out small. Instead of encouraging jumping into a large blog about anything, start out small with links or small ideas to get the feel of the blog and its purpose. Before choosing a blog site, know your school's software and hardware to make sure computers are compatible.

2 essential questions:

What are some potential activities to get students started with blogging?

Have students answer questions about blogging after showing them your blog. Have the students discuss the purpose of blogging as well as certain details and precautions, like language and appropriate topics. Also, encourage them to ask questions.

What are some precautions to take when blogging? How do you make it safe for your students?

Parents will want to understand what their child is getting into before signing the consent form, so have the students set up a password, use psuedonyms, or sign in with just first names. Also, promote confidentiality.

Multitasking

The main points of these three resources were that technology has a great influence on our minds and the tasks we try to finish. There are ways to multitask efficiently, but overall, attempting to multitask has the risk of not absorbing or completing tasks well. These resources really made me see that my mind is truly "hotwired." I feel the urge to constantly jump around from task to task, but in the end, none of the tasks are completed to my expectations. Not only do I jump around, but I listen to music with lyrics and I have the television on in the background. At the same time, I try to read difficult material from a book and realized after an hour, that I have read maybe three pages when without that extra technology, I could have read the whole chapter.

As a teacher, I want to encourage my students to learn efficient multitasking but also that it is okay just to focus on one task and make it complete before jumping to another task. A way to do this is by creating stations in the classroom. Each station will have one activity, and children will work on only this one activity for a time period. This way, they don't have to think about what other activities need to be finished before going home. At a school I tutored at, students would listen to i-pods, have email up on a laptop, and do homework. I don't know how these students were "honors" students because in their shoes, I could never get homework done well enough for an "A." In my classroom, I would promote music without lyrics and have it on for the whole classroom. Some may get distracted by this, even without lyrics, but I would give options. I would also promote efficient studying habits and homework techniques that do not promote multitasking, but rather efficiency.

Creating my autobiography

http://www.vuvox.com/collage/detail/05d9bd8255

Before I began creating my digital autobiography, I will admit that I was terrified. Not being any good with technology, the thought of me producing this autobiography that everyone would be able to see worried me that this would be the end of me succeeding in this class. However, I was proven wrong. Setting up a vuvox.com account took about five seconds, and beginning the actual collage was even easier! I especially appreciated how easy it was to navigate the page, whether it was uploading photos or organizing the arrangement. I have always wanted to find a website like this, especially one that allowed me to tilt the pictures to make it look like a true collage. The only effort needed to make a basic autobiography was looking through over a hundred pictures only to pick out eight to post on the site! To make things a little more interesting, I added some color. I chose colors that resembled me, which was easy because of the range of color choices. One day, it might be fun to try to add some music!

Creating this autobiography has benefits for both me and other viewers. For me, it is a way to share my story and to remind me of the things that are most important in my life. For the viewers, whoever is interested, can get the true picture of who I am as a person. In the future, as a teacher, my students and coworkers can see that I am an honest person but also fun and lovable. This autobiography shows that I know how to stay connected, and also gives others a preview into my life.

Overall, this was a fun experience, as well as new! It gave me great insight into the potential that the internet can offer! I know that ever since I've discovered this autobiography, several friends have wanted to try it out too, and in a classroom, I feel this would be a great icebreaker activity, as well as a way to understand a computer and internet.