Monday, March 25, 2013

Chapter 8: Communicating and Networking with Websites, blogs, Wikis and More


1) The chapter gives a few different ways to communicate with your students, for example blogs, email, teacher websites, online discussions and Wikis. (Wiki comes from  the Hawaiian work "quick", I found that a fun fact the textbook stated). The textbook also gives a chart explaining when it is best to use each of these computer-mediated communication forms. I recently gave my students my email address (my school where I work gave me this email to use), though my school does not have my password I found it safer to use the school email and would never use a private one. I work in a high school and the problem with privately communicating with students of this age group is that sometimes they use this private communication for other means. Some of my students even said is this email only to hand in the project? The text states on page 210 that many schools worry about student and teacher communication through online social networks. I learned about the website Ning.com and how you can use it to make your own social network to only invite certain people into it. I went to the website The site was great, however it was $49 for a regular site, and $100 for a business one, etc. As a teacher it is hard to have communication with your students outside of the classroom, in a safe and proper way. How would you implement communication with your students outside of the class, which websites do you believe are safe to use, which communication methods would you use?

2) The text stated that 36% more student success was achieved when parents had internet based communication with teachers and the school. The problem however was that this occurred in areas with higher income, education and parent involvement. Overall, parent involvement was better when the information was found online. I work in the South Bronx, and my students are able to access their grades through a site called Powerschool. They always come in to class saying that they saw their grades, and are either happy or not. I believe that when parents and students have this access, they are more likely to be involved and stay on top of their grades more. How do you implement parent involvement? Do you use the internet?

3) Page 214 of the text really hit home with me. The text states that 4 out of 10 students in high school never write a paper of more than 3 pages and that by the end of high school many students are writing unsophisticated work or immature. In my classroom I assigned my honors class a 3 page, 5 paragraph comparison essay to write over the spring break. All of the students flipped out saying that it was too much writing (double spaced mind you). I found this appaulling because I though the assignment was easy. The text stated that 60% of teens use text, online blogs, Facebook, etc to write daily but do not see that as "real" writing. I tend to agree with this fact because, though they are writing they are not writing properly, therefore this is not helping them.  How can you as a teacher improve this problem with students writing? The text stated that many social studies/history teachers never have their students write, how can you as another subject matter teacher beside ELA promote writing in your classroom?

Thursday, March 21, 2013

TODAY'S CLASS!

Today's class was filled with information of how to make our WebQuests better and all the extra criteria we needed to add that I was not aware of. The WebQuest is a lot of work but at the same time it is turning out to be fun to complete and I am excited to see my final product!

Sunday, March 17, 2013

CHAPTER 7:  Problem Solving & Inquiry Learning With Software & Web Tools

Chapter 7 unfortunately was very boring to read and not very helpful! The chapter spoke mostly about different programs for the teacher and students to use along with some guidelines. One interesting program that I read about was "Inspiration" for high school students. The program is used to help students create something original by using graphs, voice, drawing, writing, etc. Its like a little easel on the computer that can add text and voice. The program lets students talk, draw or write anything that comes to mind when they are given a project. It allows them to avoid writers block because it let's them free think before making their final version. How much creativity do you allow your students in the classroom? Is this a program you would use? 

Chapter 7 page 179, the text states that there are are three ways for teachers to decide if the program is a poor soft ware. They are the following: if the program, not the child, controls the activity, if the game promotes violence, stereotyping or competition, if the software favors quick reaction and not long term thinking. I agreed with these three outlines because, it is important for the student to control what is happening and not have the program control what they are doing. Also, the software needs to promote long term thinking instead of having the student just complete the task and forget it. Do you agree with the three guidelines? Are there any you would add to follow? 

The chapter gave a whole list of education games for students to play on page 195. I read through the list and thought how every parent should allow their students to play educational games as opposed to stupid shooting games or killing. Some of the game sounded very fun. Personally I have only played Sims game. Do you think parents should limit the type of games students play? Would that effect a students learning in school? 

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Take Away 3/14/2013

 Today's class discussion was interesting. The rubric you provided us was helpful in thinking about how to choose websites for our WebQuest and for our students in general. If a teacher follows those few guidelines on the rubric then they will most likely always choose appropriate websites. The virtual field trips were proven to be not as useful as an actual field trip, but it is worth using in order to at least show your students something visual so they can make a connection to the topic.

 

Monday, March 11, 2013

1. Chapter 4 states that there are two ways that teachers use technology as a necessary means of integration. One way is through the teacher's mindset and the other is through multiple pathways. Personally if I am not into the technology I am using, or if I am not 100% sure how to use the technology I will not feel that comfortable or prepare or organized to teach my students by using it. Many schools encourage using new technology, however then the school should teach the teachers how to use this new technology.  Do you believe that a teacher needs to have the correct mindset to use technology in the class efficiently, or can the teacher be forced to used technology and still use it successfully?

2. Chapter 4 said a very important fact on page 85: " technology integration does not mean computer technologies replace non-electronic resources in every teaching situation." I personally do not use much technology in my English class. I teach 10th grade ELA and the only time I really use technology is when I want to show the students a picture, or a scene from the book we are reading so they can visualize the text. Do you use more technology in your classroom, or more non-electronic resources and why? 

3. On page 145 in Chapter 6, the text states that the internet can be used as a starting point to then learn what books to get from the library or where to search for more in depth information. Unfortunately, I think the internet is used for the complete opposite. The internet is used more for the starting and ending point. Students and teachers, even people in general go right to the internet to learn all they need to about a topic. Do you use the Internet as a "starting point" or do you use the internet as a whole? Do you have your students only use the internet, or use the internet and other sources? Explain. 

In Chapter 6 I actually learned something new about the internet, I never knew that social bookmarking existed, nor did I know what it was. I found out that people not only individually bookmark their favorite sites, or information, but that information can be shared publicly and can be accessed by many people. This makes it easier to find information because you can look in bookmarks that people have already found based on things you have in common.   

Thursday, March 7, 2013


March 7,2013 Class
 
WebQuest: Educational journey online
-       build the gateway
-       interactive/ can be self-contained
-       quest= questions
-       web based exploration
-       challenge
-       assessment
-       plans, activities, and resources
-       should be steps to the webquest to follow
-       Web: engagement, search engine, links, highlights, setting, connection to worldcreating a gateway for students to use internet sources that are educational
This WebQuest webpage on dinosaurs was AMAZING! I really wish to one day be able to use a WebQuest in my classroom and teach my students based on one. It would be such a fun and interactive way for them to learn. Not only can they do the WebQuest alone but can also work with partners. I will definitely try one day in the future to make a WebQuest and have my students use it. I think that the WebQuest also is more monitored then letting the students go out on their own to research the topics, they have all the links in front of them. The students probably will wonder off but it does decrease the chances.  After seeing the demonstration in class today of how to make the Web Quest, I am excited to start mine and will make it based on what I am currently teaching my students in their 10th grade Honors class so that I can hopefully use it during my teaching!