My EDM310 Blog Assignments are now complete

I wanted to thank anyone and everyone who took the time to look around my little piece of the Internet. I hope that my posts and topics (while mandatory for this class) did not bore you but informed you or motivated you in some way or another. If you could learn anything from my blogs I hope it is that there is always a lot to learn and always new developments out there to learn from. I most likely will not keep this blog up once the class is over with next week because I have so much going on in my life.However, Please, if you feel you would like to leave me comments. I would love to hear what you or anyone has to say, good or bad!!


Thanks for stopping by and have a GREAT summer!!!!!

What I learned this Semester......ALOT!!!

This semester I learned a lot! So much in fact that I was surprised by it. I am one of those types of people who learns technology by sitting myself down and playing around until I get how to maximize the usage of the technology. I learned how to calculate a payout table, do an organized address book, make a website using Google, how to use blogger, and all the amazing things that are FREE on Google such as blogger, IGoogle, and reader. I liked how much there is for teachers that is FREE!!! Although the spreadsheets were a bit headache inducing at first, once I got in the "rhythm" they were easy. I can easy see how I can use these things on an almost daily basis. I can definitely see how I can use these things in my classroom to help my students.

I can not think of anything that I wished we had learned this semester.I am glad that we did learn what we did because there are many things that even I, "Miss Technologically savvy" did not know or was intimidated by. Spreadsheet and I used to be enemies but using Google spreadsheets and having everything in a convenient and easy format really changed my opinion on spreadsheets and spreadsheet programs.

Wikipedia Is it a good resource or not?

We all use Wikipedia (Commonly known as Wiki) which totes itself as "the online encyclopedia" at one time or another. That being said, is it that great of a website to use for finding truth on the website? The answer is NO!! In fact, if you go on wiki and look it states "Welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit." This mean if you put up an article about Wal-mart for example anyone..ANYONE can go on and change your words. They can edit what you said and if desired do it anonymously so that you don't know who they were. For example if you write "Wal-Mart is a facetious piece of crap store and no one should shop there let alone work there because they use sweat-shops to make their products labeled " Sam's Choice!". Someone from Wal-mart such as the CEO can go to wikipedia, see what your wrote and change your words to say "Wal-Mart is an amazing store and Everyone should shop there or work there because they use top quality resources to make their products labeled "Sam's Choice!". You as the editor and "Creator" of the entry has no authority over what the entries truly say.

There is something new called " wikipedia scanner" which tracks the changes made anonymously back to the IP (thus company) the changes came from as well as records what the original entry read compared to the "updated" entry. It was made by a computation and neural-systems Cal-Tech Grad student by the name of Virgil Griffith.

Below you will find helpful links to each of the articles I used to write this blog.

http://www.wired.com/politics/onlinerights/news/2007/08/wiki_tracker?currentPage=all

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12823729

http://www.npr.org/blogs/news/2007/08/whos_been_messin_with_my_wikip.html

Growth and Fixed Mindsets Video (ITunes)

This video talked about how some students have a "Fixed" mindset that they only have so much intelligence. these students are afraid that they will look dumb if the do something. other students believe intelligence is increased via learning. Dr. Dwyer who is a professor of psychology at Stanford university decided to do an experiment that was 6 weeks long of 8 sessions where she took two groups of students and taught one the growth mindset where the other group did not get the same teaching. at the end of the 6 weeks, it was easy to pick out the students whom had the growth mindset teachings. the non-growth mindset students were only taught how to study.

There was a famous stock car driving coach whom contacted Prof. Dwyer on how to apply the growth mindset to the drivers mindset. Prof Dwyer found that if the drivers can get in the "zone" they can succeed and win. She states at the end of the video that without the growth mindset you can not grow and learn through-out life.

I think this is an interesting idea. however, I do not think that a person's mindset is completely one or the other which is what Prof Dwyer more or less states. I think everyone has their "weak" moments when it comes to certain subject manner where they do not feel as confidant as they would otherwise. I think her overall idea is good but once it leaves "paper" per say it falls apart because of the fact that people are not black and white they are gray as far as mindsets.

Energy Flow in the coral Reef Ecosystem

This video, available on ITunes in the Teacher's domain section of Itunes U was very interesting. However i was saddened to see that the video quality was not good. It was very grainy. This may be just the monitor but I highly doubt it. I can use this video (and this type of video) in my classroom because my students will be needing to learn in various ways. this is a way to teach them but also allow them the time to learn on their own through watching the lessons. some of my students will simply enjoy it because of the colors, shapes and calming effects the ocean has on their senses. This is a great advantage for me as a teacher as sensory skills are huge.

The video talked about coral reefs and how the reefs help feed the fish which in turn feed other fish. the video explains how the reefs grow and how the sun helps as well. The coral feeds on plankton (as do some fish such as the spiny Blinny (a coral fish. The video also introduces things such as sea cucumbers, ruffled sea slug, plant eater fish, spined sea urchin, barracudas, moray eels, yellow tail snapper, and others.

I liked how the video explained the ecosystem but did it in a way that was easy to follow as well as entertaining. The video was aimed for k-5Th grades but I think the content is too high for a lower elementary student. The images are age appropriate, but the content moves too fast and there is too much going on for the lower elementary students to get everything they would need to for this video to be used in an actual lesson. It would however, be a good compliment to the lesson.

I-tunes University

I-Tunes University is not actually only for college students. In fact, it can be accessed and used for students of all ages. It is a easy and unique way to get the lectures your professor gave, any information that is necessary for your classes and all you need is an Ipod. The good thing about this program is that you don't have to purchase a new computer if you for instance don't own a Mac. Using the features of I-tunes U is easy to do. all you do is download the lecture or video the same way you would that hot new song or music video. You can access the content anywhere and at any time. There is no need to be in the classroom or near a computer. I-tunes university fits into your schedule and your life, not the other way around.

By using I-tunes university you can also get things such as television right on your I-pod or PC/Mac. The only thing that is not going to work if you use I-tunes university is your limited imagination. The best part of I-Tunes University is that so far the program can be used in Canada or the USA and anyone can access the information if the program is set up that way.

I wish that U.S.A. were a part of I-Tunes University. I believe that it would not only provide the students a more well-rounded education but it makes studing for that test or getting that lecture you accidently slept through much easier to obtain.

Ipods in the classroom

while many people see Ipods as only a device to play music and the occasional music video on, Ipods are becoming the number one instruction tool for use in classrooms. Ipods are an excellent way to use the latest technology to enhance learning. Ipods can be used by almost any age students for any subject the student may have. Not only do many students these days already own an Ipod (making the ever evolving parental argument of " oh my god it's an extra expense on top of everything else?" go away but allows the device to be used for more then it's most obvious function. If for example, a music teacher wants to play snippets of many types of songs from many types of artist's, they can do so using the Ipods. then, if the students need to they can access those snippets (or full-length song) any time they need to.

While I do advocate the use of Ipods as being an excellent tool, I can also understand how they can be an unneeded expense for the parents of students who do not currently own an Ipod. I can't see why the schools can not purchase Ipods for those students to borrow though. They could even have the students pay something like $0.50 a day or a week to "rent" the Ipods. Also, I can see how this would make it very tempting to not only break the Ipods but to pretend to listen to the intended musical choice and instead be listening to something else. However, I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Here is a great link to explore this topic further: Click Here

Why Wireless?

In the Nov. 2, 2007 edition of the Fischbowl blog, Karl blogs about how he had to send home information in the school newsletter on why the school is now offering WiFi internet M-F. He talks about how the society is now one where you have to be connected to classrooms all over the world and that to seek an answer it is no longer as simple as asking the teacher next door for the answer. He brings up a lot of valid points and states them eloquently.

I hope that the parents now understand that having a school that offers this type of *new* technology is an extremely good thing and one that should be happening in more then one school; it should be in all schools. Every students needs to have the same access and knowledge of technology but unfortunately still many don't.

Technologically illiterate?

I very much agree with the statements (all of them) that were stated in the best of sept 07 on fischbowl. Technology is in everyone's everyday lives whether they realize it or not. Due to the fact that we are in a computer based college course, mostly we talk about technology in the terms of the computer and all that has to do with it. However, techology is also things such as a digital watch, an alarm clock, etc.... so for someone to "claim" they don't use technology in their life is a lie. If they drive a vehicle, they use a computer to run it; even if they don't have to do more then turn a key and shift. I believe it is very important to have all teachers and parents know how to use technology such as a computer because they will have to know how to use it when they have students or even children of their own.

it only harms the child whilst she or he is trying to learn if the teacher can not teach them how to use the internet for example to look up something on google. In this class we use google in many ways and not simply for a question we may have or email viw gmail. we use google blogger and google pages as well as the email capabilities and blogger. I know that because this class on I had to take in college, my students will be better at understanding technology because I understand it and can better teach how to do something step by step. These days there is no excuse no to be up on technology and there is no excuse not to be enrolling oneself in a class to learn more about technology.

Image with ALT and TITLE modifiers

A world of Blogs Part Two

Mr Fisher uses blogs to let his students know what is going on and also to let parents know what is happening in his classroom. He includes many interesting pictures as well as tidbits that are fun. I especially liked the picture of the man who poured plaster down into an anthil then dug it up to see what an ant hill looks like underground. I liked how Mr. Fisher posted content then asked for feedback. It's nice to see what other students feel and how they opinions differ. I think the blog is being used very effectively here as a teaching tool. It certainly seems like it would be a great help if you were a student of his. Click here to go to Mr. Fisher's Website

A Sidenote on technology

I found this website and i thought it was very interesting...Click here to go see it... It's cool!!

A world of Blogs!!

Mr, Kerr from Adelaide, Au uses blogs in his high school classroom to not only connect with other teachers but allow the students to connect with teachers on topics they are studying. He also has his students create blogs because he is the webdesign teacher so he uses blogger as part of his assignments much like Dr. Strange uses blogger as part of our assignments for this semester. I don't really like how he has his blogger set up for his students because it confused me. So i imagine if i was confused...his students would be too unless he specifically explained to them what he did. Overall, I am glad to see more people using blogs. I think they are part of the important technology of the future.

Bloggin About Blogs Pt. Two..

The Second school I found was Richards Elementary School in Whitefish Bay, WI. The class is Mrs. Kreul and her class uses blogs to keep the students parents updated as to what is going on in the school as well as the classroom. She also uses the blog to remind parents about class policies such as late work and what happens when the students are tardy or absent. It seems like it owuld be very helpful since from what I noticed, she posts to it regularly. The site has many fun pictures of her classroom as well as a lot of very informative things.

click here to go to the website

Bloggin about blogs

Mrs. Dyke is using Blogs to show her students in her enrichment class a new way to do a report on a specific topic. For her class they were doing the "Eleanor Rigby Project" which is a telecollaborative project that explored the issue of homelessness. Mrs. Dyke thought that by having her students create blogs on a topic that is often ignored or people who are often looked down upon, It would open their minds up to new ways of thinking. Once the students posted their blogs; which she has them do daily, she would then read and post a reply to them by asking questions or pointing them to a website to explore the questions they themselves brought up. She definetly is using technology in a great way!

Click here to Go to this website

Learn About Me!

Access "Alabama connecting classroom educators and students statewide

Access is a wonderful program that by 2010 is mandated statewide. It provides "equal access to higher quality instruction". What this means is that if a high school does not offer a class, the high school student can take the class online and earn full credit or even college credit if the class is AP or Advanced Placement. Also it provides classes that high schools do not typically offer and provides a student a way to retake a class they previously failed without placing them behind their anticipated graduation date. The students can connect with educators and other students all over the state of Alabama, as well as learn how to achieve higher grades. Each student is provided with a computer and everything they will need for the classes [technology wise] as well as the ability to have much more available help when needed.

Each section of the state [ North, Mid and south] have their own tech support area where if something goes wrong or help is needed there is a person relatively close by whom is willing and able to help. The vision of Access is to provide equal education and educational opportunities to everyone no matter where they are in school. A student in rural Alabama will get the same opportunities as a student in the city and there are no differences even if the school is "poor" and the other schools are "rich". There is no where in the state that can say they offer a "Better" education because all the public schools would be offering equal education.

I really think this is a fantastic thing and that it is definitely time for something like this to happen. There is no longer going to be pressure on teachers to teach something they don't necessarily know because there will be someone else who is able to better teach the subject through distance learning. It will also stop the "race" to get the best education and the "snootiness" some students may have because they went to such and such school and you went to "that poor hick" school.... No longer can someone say they weren't given the best of the best opportunity wise. The PowerPoint mentioned that this program is FREE to ALL students so no matter your families economic standing you will get the best opportunities and I think that is fantastic!!

Adding a Photo to Your blog

Click on the photo icon, browse and find your photo. open. click ok. select a location for your text. select a size for your photo/image.

How I would use Alex

I would use Alex in my classroom by getting as many lesson plan ideas as I could. Since my students are going to be special education students I don't necessarily think that they will be putting Alex to much use. However, it does depend on my students abilities. It may be fun to see how many different types of the same activity are found in the lesson plan area and how modifiable they can be.

There are many other websites that I would most likely use more then Alex because the content is much more extensive on those. Also, the ways to get the numerous lesson plans are easier to find and use in my opinion. While Alex does have some good aspects it would not be my first choice, personally.

Alex (Alabama Learning Exchange)

The website for Alex was very neat to see. It amazed me how helpful all the available materials can be. I liked the fact that as an up and coming teacher there are things such as lesson plans and even web links to many neat sites. I was saddened that there seemed to not by anything for Special Education majors or teachers. In the cource of study area, nothing for Special Education was represented. Perhaps I did not look in the right places.

One of the best resources that the site offers is the "ask" type of section. Technically it's called "thinkifinity" but it works the same as an "ask" link would. When I went to the weblink section I was impressed to see that there were administrator, teacher and student sections. There are some sections I do not think I would use such as the "distance learning" sections, but I can see how it would be very useful.

WOW!!!

It's only the fourth day of class and I am already overwhelmed!!It's going to be very stressed induced and busy semester. The good thing is that it's not going to be a boring semester :). Between work and school and trying to maintain a social life this semester, it's going to go very fast I anticipate! Which will keep me on my tip-toes!

Did You know?

Did you know everything the Video stated BEFORE watching the video? I certainly did not. I could not have imagined any of those things that the video stated. It was very poignant how disconnected we are as a society yet at the same we are over- connected. I definitely feel that the US needs to get with the program on many issues such as Education and how the world views us. It's sad how the official or main language of the United States is English yet other countries are becoming fluent in English as their second language. Many schools in the states don't offer or require students to learn another language other then English yet in the long run I believe as a society we are suffering because our focus is on things that do not seem as necessary. I am not saying that the USA is a terrible country but a part of me things that if the video were seen by politicians and people in the high ranking positions of our country, things just may start to change. Probably the most surprising statistic to me was the statistic that stated that more then 70% of 4 year old's have used a computer. When one looks at all the statistics in an overview, it's quite easy to see how some of the epidemics that are overtaking the USA occur. After all, by 21 a person has watched 20,000 hours of T.V., 10,000 hours of video games and sent and/or received 250,000 e-mails/text messaged. Surely the individuals were not running on a treadmill or being active while watching that T.V. show or e-mailing/text messaging their friends! This video definitely made me think and opened my eyes immensely

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