reflection #4

I have learned how to make SMART Board presentations to make my lessons enteractive.
I really like the "Area Capture" because it is like copying anything, I like using it for classes, or capturing notes on a smart board notebook.
One thing I am confused on is the NETS, in every lesson are we supposed to have those standards in all classes?
CONFUSED... yes.

Assignment #1

Ashley Buhler

Prof. Monica Adair

Technology in Education

5 October 2010

Technology Literacy Paper

                The article I chose is titled, “Multimedia Technologies and Familiar Spaces: 21^st-Century Teaching for 21^st-Century Learners” by Judy Lambert and Cuper Pru.  Students in this new generation have grown up constantly immersed in technology, cell phones, internet, social networking, images, media, everything technologically advanced.  Therefore, teachers must adapt their teaching methods to meet up with this digitally charged generation.

                Not only do teachers need to use multimedia technology in the classroom but they need to teach students how to process the information they receive through multimedia devices.  “Reflection and critical thinking enable students to learn from their experiences; therefore, time must be built into classroom instruction for both processes to occur” (2).  Students are given so much information through technology it is a mass amount of communication, thus teachers need to assist students dissect, reflect and analyze what they learn.  “They must learn to apply technology tools appropriately in order to process multiple perspectives on real-world problems and formulate solutions to these problems” (2).

                Lambert and Pru explain in detail how important and challenging it is for teachers to seek new ways to “integrate 21-st century skills, nonlinear thinking skills, and digital-age reflections into coursework” (2).  They references updates for the NETS for Students, and NETS for teachers and how important that is for teachers to use communication skills in ways that utilize all available technologies.

                One thing I thought was cool to see in the paper was they brought up Blogging, and in this class we have been blogging.  The article said, “Blogging offers an online world of journaling where people share their thoughts, experiences, and sometimes pictures and audio files” (8).  We have been blogging in Technology in Education, but this article explained it more as another outlet that can be used for your students.  I thought that would be beneficial for my students in a high school setting to use a blog to communicate with other students about their homework or certain assignments.   It does not just have to be an update of information about myself, events and assignments for students, parents, and administration.  They included a quote from a student, interested in becoming a teacher, who used blogging, “I want to use blogs so my students have a means of expressing themselves as well as becoming more familiar with emerging technology” (8).  I thought it was funny that another prospective teacher said “I think I will use blogging in my classroom because it gets rid of some paper work that you have to deal with; it gets the students more involved; and, most importantly, it helps out with communication” (8). It was funny to me that this person thought of using blogs to eliminate paper work you have to deal with.  That is true.  But it is also a way to engage students.  Now it seems that every student, with some exceptions, has some access to a computer and internet, whether it is in a public library, a computer lounge provided by school, or a home or personal computer.  This expands the possibility of educational tools.  I know personally from how many hours I spend each day on the internet, not committing to study purposes, but Social Networking or other entertainment sites, I can just think how much more my prospective students like to spend time on the internet.  I think it would be huge to get them involved into doing something they like, but having it relate to school.  Also, blogging is a way to reflect and analyze what the student has learned or seen.  They can analyze what I have shown them in class.  Have every student make a personal blog, and they can interact with each other by posting forums, and if I show an engaging media clip, then have each student write a reflection online.  I feel it is so important to engage students in what they like to do, but make it educational.  

Works Cited

Lambert, Judy, and Pru Cuper. "Multimedia Technologies and Familiar Spaces: 21st-Century Teaching for 21st-Century Learners." Contemporary Issues in Technology & Teacher Education 8.3 (2008): 264-276. Education Research Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Oct. 2010.

NETS for teachers:  I like the second standard:
Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
b. Develop technology-enriches learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning and assessing their own progress.

This made me think about my article I read that wanted teachers to incorporate not only multimedia technologies but also experiences and analyzing and reflecting what students have learned.  I feel this in critical for students to take in and internalize concepts taught in class.  It also reminds me of blogging, how students can become “active participants” by expressing how they feel about what they have learned and sharing that with others, which is a form of assessment, student voice.

NETS for Students

4. Critical thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions

I thought this was important because it relates back to my article to have students think about what they have learned in order for them to relate it back to world issues.  I like the idea of analyzing data to make decisions or come up with solutions to problems they might have. Students could research a global issue after watching a video and come up with solutions, such as the BP Oil Spill, or Child abductions in Uganda.   They would come up with a solution to a world issue, and make plans as to how they would achieve that solution. They could make a multimedia project to convince classmates to help support their cause.  Students afterwards would blog about their individual reflections towards their own projects, and if they thought they were convincing or persuasive enough.

Reflection #3

Looking over numerous education blogs, websites, etc. I have realized the importance of design and whether something is aesthetically pleasing.  If a parents or student is going to be engaged in my blog it needs to look nice.  Pictures help connect the person to the school and to the classroom, it engages their attention.

Allison brought up a good point in one of her blogs, about an education blog she looked at but it was cluttered and confusing to navigate through.  I noticed on a lot of blogs I wanted to know where to look up specific information, overall, it needs to be user friendly.  Whether it is someone very computer savvy looking at my blog, or the most computer illiterate Grandma trying to find poor Nicky's assignment.  I want to make things clear.  Also, I want it to look nice and modern.  Constantly updating and modifying my blog would be very important.  This may be my only contact with some of the parents, and lots of people will reference it for their school work, either students or parents.  I began realizing, at my school in California there was no way to contact teachers, it was mostly come before or after school if you have questions.  Never gave out phone numbers or email.  At my school in Southern Washington, all the teachers emailed and would accept assignments via email and would answer questions via email.  Now at Northwest, whenever I need to look up an assignment I always go to Discovery, and if I have a question I always email my professor and usually within the day he or she will get back to me with an appropriate response.  So basically, my students will be even more technologically reliant for communication.  It is easier to email a question rather than ask in person in front of the entire class. 

Concluding thoughts to this reflection: My blog needs to look good, be constantly updated, pictures are good, and easy to navigate for all users.

Week #5 Blogs

I looked up Newtown High School Blog and since I am going to teach Secondary English at a high school, I figured looking up a high school blog would be most beneficial more me as a future educator.

Some things I liked about this blog:

• Regular postings (a post once a day or more)
• great innovative design
• Postings about upcoming events
• Posts about random things (such as a picture of the empty swimming pool during the summer)
• Had graphics for every event
• Pictures for every post that were well captured and aesthetically pleasing

I liked all the pictures of students and activities, it made the school real.  It was not some random website about a school, I could visualize how the campus looked, what kind of students made up the school, I made a personal connection looking through the photos. It made it real for me.

They had postings about events happening at school, in the community, or relevant to students or faculty.  They had a post for new teachers they were introducing to the school.  And a post for their talent show.  It was easy to access for each day, and it was constantly being updated.  Information about all events going on at the high school could be located on the blog.  I liked that it was aesthetically pleasing, it was modern, innovative and carefully designed.  The pictures were well placed and thought through.  My old high school, Kelso High School has an atrocious website, big bulky fonts, unrelated graphics, really heavy on hideous yellow and bright blue.  Take a look for yourself, it is just awful, Kelso Website.

I want a blog that is easily accessible for my students, parents, faculty and administration and easy to navigate.  I want a good design that draws people in.  Constantly updating to keep people informed about current events.  Also, vibrant pictures that capture the moment allow for real connection to take place. They can see inside the classroom, see what my class is all about.

Reflection #2

Tonight we had our SMART Board presentations.  I felt unsure about my presentation.  I do not want to bore my students.  I need to find a way to make literature, reading, writing and grammar interesting to disengaged students.  Some possible ideas:
-Interactive Media
-Movie clips
-Documentary clips
-Pictures
Some other ways to engage students is to create fun games, act out a story or chapter from a book, etc.

Some things I need to work on, utilizing full features of SMART Board, making lessons more interactive or "flashy."

How can we as teachers make every student feel included and engaged on the SMART Board?
-Management of the board
-Taking turns
-Changing ativities
-Having flow in the lesson
-Transitioning between slides
-Calling on people to answer questions
-Having each student take notes on everythng during lesson

Features I liked using: Pens and Hi lighters, especially in english class, involves a lot of writing, can clearly hi light portions of the text that are important.

Assignment 2

My lesson is about poetry, how a student can analyze a poem by looking at the following literary elements: subject, theme, emotional impact, form, sound elements, visual elements, imagery and figurative language, and practice analyzing poems, using the above literary elements.

I am incorporating two classic poems from British literature: "Death Be Not Proud" by John Donne and "The Chimney Sweeper" by William Blake.  Students will use a hilighter to point out different literary elements.
I will be using the hilighter feature and the pen feature of the SMART Board in this lesson.

I am following the Grade 10 for Reading State standards
In my lesson we will analyze literature, expand vocabulary, and read a variety of genres, such as poetry from a different era.  We will analyze author’s use of language, style, purpose, and perspective in literary and informational text, especially when analyzing the Blake's poem.

The 2007 Student NETS that will be incorporated in this lesson are:

2. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.

The ways students will interact and collaborate is coming up to the SMART Board and analyzing a poem and dissecting the poem using tools on the SMART Board, such as hilighters and pens. 

The Teacher 2008 NETS that will be incorporated in this lesson are:

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

The interactive white board is very helpful when analyzing poetry because the text can be seen clearly for all students.  Also, students can hi light portions of the text and write commentary on the actual board about what they are analyzing.  This allows visual learners to see the poem and learn, active learners to write on the board, and we can discuss the poems aloud for the auditory learners.

The original lesson from the SMART Exchange can be found here

Reflection # 1

Today's lesson using the SMART Board reminded me of my senior year in High School taking Mrs. Droke's Physics class.  Everyday she used the SMART Board.  For review we would play jeopardy right before a test and break into teams.  We would break up into small groups of teams, and compete against each team.  She kept track of points, and each question would be a physics question, usually involving math using a type of formula.  We all got so excited to win points to win the game, but we learned the formulas so much easier than just studying them.  Without the SMART Board we would not be able to play jeopardy the same way if it was on some other form of media, it would just be more complicated.  We used the SMART Board in every class session in Physics.  When we would come in and had problems with homework she would work them out on the SMART Board, then email the notes to us, or she would print them out and give it to us to study.  When I was in Foundations of Education and had to observe different classes I ended up going back to her class, and she used the SMART Board in a math class.  The one thing I was amazed at was she had a program on the board that was a graphing calculator on the computer.  She could use the calculator like she would use a regular actual calculator, but this was massive and touch screen.  The class was an AP Calculus class, so if students had problems using the calculator, she would put the SMART Board calculator on the screen and was able to walk the students step by step in a large way that the whole class could follow. 

More and more I realize the younger generations are becoming more and more technologically advanced.  Their attention is media focused, what can grab their attention, captivate it and hold it, long enough to learn a lesson.  It is critical to have these resources in the classroom.  I am going to be an English teacher, when analyzing a poem my students can write on the text on the SMART Board and circle and hilight and analyze the entire poem and I can email it to all my students or print it out for their use.