Technology Inquiry

This assignment required the most work out of any of the assignments in this class. I am not sure if it is because I did it across a couple of days or just because it required a lot work. I found websites that pertained to my topic, wrote an explanation as to how it helped my inquiry question and formed an annotated bibliography for each one. This project took me awhile to complete because there was so much extra research that went into it. Creating links for each website was also something extra that had to be completed as well as taping a screencast. I thought the program for making the screencast was fairly simple and did not take long at all. I had to start many different trials until I chose to use my final copy. The value in completing this task was to learn how to complete a screencast. Before doing this assignment, I did not even know what a screencast was. This project impacts my future teaching because I learned a lot with my topic that I will definitely use in my own classroom. I also learned how to do a screencast so I will be able to use this technique when teaching.

Scratch Reflection

After completing this project, I feel very relieved. I was a bit scared before starting this assignment because of all the hype about it. I did not think it was as hard as I thought it was going to be, but I did have some difficulty during the process. I was not sure what to do when I wanted to have a sprite become a link to the next page. I found out that broadcasting was the way to complete this correctly. It was challenging to draw sprites and the background with just a mouse pad. It took me a few times before I was happy with what I drew. I was satisfied with the way that my project turned out in the end. It took me a few hours on several different occasions combined to finish everything. I started by drawing the background, the sprites and then adding words and sound. I took into consideration the suggestions of my classmates so my project could be improved. I enjoyed doing this project because I have never done anything like it before. I am happy that it is finished and I will probably use it in my class one day!

Exit Slip 4/5

Chapter 9 presentation- parents who play video games with their children should be spending time with them doing other things. Video games are not the best option or activity to promote within the household and time spent doing this should be used for more educational activities.
What careers have been changed with technology?
- Pilots, Teachers, Doctors, Waitress, Architects, Mediorologist, Military
Goals of Education: social cohesion, lifelong learners, etc

Chapter 10 Presentation- teachers need to motivate students in their classroom to want to learn. Teachers should motivate students in subjects that they are not as interested in by figuring out ways to integrate subjects into activities and make connections for them in these topics. The local governments are in charge of the school systems. The federal government could help equalize the balance of the education system.

All of the cool tools were websites that I had never been to before. These include: Flickr, googlelit, drawanywhere, and gabbly. I learned something new from all of these sites but I am not sure that I would use all of them in the classroom. It was interesting listening to all of the contemporary issues presentations as well and learning about issues that I would have never thought of. Technology is interesting because of all the issues it brings up. Teachers and parents need to be careful when using it around students and children.
*Last class.. I enjoyed the semester!

Chapter 10 Reflection

The book is completed! Learning takes place both in the classroom and outside of the classroom everyday. This is what we call lifelong learning- it can happen throughout life all the time. Teachers need to be motivators for students and keep them interested in learning by pursuing their interests. This will keep the students more engaged in learning. Teachers need to prepare students for a more technological age of learning. Currently, the educational field needs people who can promote technological devices to inform schools about them. They need to learn to integrate schooling and technology to provide us with more resources, knowledge and capabilities in the classroom.

It is very important for the teacher to be a motivator in the classroom. I remember teachers I have had in the past that have been very motivating and encouraging and made me excited to learn about different topics. I have also had teachers who have taught for many years and it seemed like their excitement died because they were not interesting at all. Teachers need to incorporate technology in the classroom to help prepare their students for the real world. In the years to come, technology will take over, it happening slowly but it is just a matter of time before it happens. Teachers are the center to learning and students need to be around enthusiastic leaders.

Chapter 9 Reflection

Technology is a part of life that is not going to go away. Those of us who do not embrace it now must understand the possibilities of the new technologies from the inside, if we want to guide the future of education. It has been said that for the first time in history, children are more comfortable, knowledgeable, and literate than their parents about an innovation central to society. Typically, kids know much more about devices such as television, games, computers, instant messaging, and cell phones. Video games provide the clearest case of the technology generation gap. Parents see one side to the story which includes addiction and corruption of the youth, while kids are developing sophisticated problem-solving and communication skills in virtual worlds beyond the experience of many parents. Virtual communities are places where people can find others who share their liking for certain things. It is a place without any involvement in schools and with little adult involvement. Once again, parents view this online time as more time that kids are not reading books.

Technology has created new jargon such as hip-hop slang, instant message conventions which make technology more desirable. This is the time for technological visionaries to act. We are now in the same stage in the second educational revolution that we were in during the last decades of the 19th century. We need strong leadership from innovative educators to make sure that the new system embodies our society's critical goals for education.

Chapter 8 Reflection

Imperatives of the technologies that are driving the revolution are customization, interaction, and learner control. Schools need to embody more individual support and choice in how and what students learn and engage children in more challenging and realistic tasks that reflect the uses of knowledge in the world. I find it interesting that kids today spend over 6 hours per day interacting with technology. This turns out to be more time than they spend in school and almost as much time as they spend sleeping. The book talks about setting up national credentials that can be administered on computer or by trained professionals at any school or learning center. I do not think this is very beneficial when talking about schooling. I see this approach as a way to broaden one's horizons and learn diverse topics. People should not be able to choose their own course of learning like this.

Also, computers are revolutionizing how we measure what people know. With the variety of different standardized tests that are being used on the computer, there are more and more people are being tested this way. The book argues that computers will capture the kind of knowledge and skills required for learning in the professions. Students will be able to create a portfolio of assessments to be used for employment or college applications. I still believe that this is no way to educate citizens. If this approach was taken, it should be during or after college. It should not be so heavily focused on people choosing what they learn when they are so young. My theory is that they will change their minds often because they are immature and have to take many different courses over the years which will just set them back with their personal education. Although students will be encouraged to stay with a particular curriculum for a long time, I just do not think this is realistic.

Exit Slip 3/29

6 major ways that technology is included- Accreditation, Epistemic frames, topics in schools that teachers have trouble teaching, commercial video games, course management systems, technology as an equalizer

Contemporary Issues:
Using calculators in class=practicing tedious computations can potentially decrease attention spans. Students should know how to use the calculator for reinforcement purposes but should also know how to how to compute equations themselves. A lot of students have become dependent on calculators to do quick math. I think that students should have calculator skills to use as a backup to check their math after solving the equations.

IPad= touch screen product that is very similar to the iPhone, can be integrated into curriculum because it is relatively affordable.

Teachers with social networking websites= Teachers are still humans with lives outside of school. There is most definitely pictures and information that should not be posted on these websites because teachers are public employees. Teachers need to be careful because others are able to look at their pages and judge them.

Cool tools=
Kadoo.com= file sharing website, can upload pictures, only your friends can see your pictures but you can only upload one at a time
Woome=this is a dating website so it is not good to use in your classroom
oovoo.com= a website that is kind of like skype (can video chat, add a status, and communicate)

We also went over the directions for editing scratch as well as discussed our inquiry question project.

Exit Slip 3/22

How can we individualize education within the classroom?
Teachers can individualize education in the classroom by adding interests of students to the curriculum each day. This will bring in different aspects to the classroom as well as have more students that are interested in the topics that are being taught. The assignment can be the same that the teacher gives to everyone, but the topics for this assignment can be different so students can work on something to their liking. One idea is to set half of the day to learning things that everyone is required to learn. The other half of the day can be set up for more individualized learning.

We have learned a little bit of information about sexting, cyberbullying and consequences following sending minors inappropriate photos through cell phones from the contemporary issues presentations. Also, there was one presentation about music education in the classroom.
During the cool tools presentations, we learned about jog the web, wordle, and livemocha, and, wiziq.

We also learned more information about how to use scratch. It seems like it is going to be a project that needs a lot of time devoted to it.

Chapter 7 Reflection

This revolution in education brings both gains and losses to modern society. Pessimists see people becoming subservient to their technologies and many people being left behind as technology comes to dominate our lives. Some optimists see a golden age of learning opening before us, in which people will be able to find resources to pursue any education they may want.

What may be lost: Cohesion may be lost as parents and individuals take over their own responsibility for learning. This creates fracturing of smaller groups. Modern media has a strong homogenizing effect on the population, which ensures a common culture without depending on schools to produce one. A serious issue that a diminution of the role of public school portends is the problem of equity of access to learning. If different groups take over the education of their children, then many poor and minority children are likely to suffer. Many parents are spending a lot of money on preparing their children to be highly educated. Specialized tutoring, private schools, and computer-based resources are all examples of this. People will most likely become more isolated sitting at home in front of their computers and interacting less with people socially when technology comes into play.

What may be gained: Education will potentially be directed more toward what people want to learn. This will make people more excited to learn. Parents who homeschool their child will be able to pursue topics their child is interested in. Companies are starting new approaches to education that appeal more toward people. Computers can customize education to the particular needs and abilities of individual learners. Technology can make it possible to access information at anytime, anywhere. Turning education to the responsibility of the parents or individual leaves the family in charge of learning. Parents can provide the level of attention that their child needs.

As a future teacher, I will acknowledge and use technology in my classroom and try to make learning more individualized with this process. Students will be able to choose some of their own interests and have their learning based around this. This will be a very new adaptation to teaching and learning in the classroom.

3/15 Exit Slip

Chapter 6 presentation: Customization in schools relates to students because some take their own path. The book states that students often reject what is expected of them in school and this is not true. Some students take the path less traveled but some continue with what is supposed to happen in school. Pedagogy is when adults show children how to do something and children follow their lead. Adults scaffold until children know how to do the skill by themselves. Assessment moved from observation to standardized assessment to embedded assessment. Where students are physically, effects their learning style.
We also learned about some cool technology tools including: parentella, slide rocket, dweeber, and flaunteR. We learned more about Scratch during this class as well and it helped for the beginning of our project.

Chapter 6 Reflection

Throughout the history of education there have many changes including the location of where learning occurred, the culture in which learning occurred, and the relationships between teachers and learners. The state has taken over responsibility of education from the parents. Currently, responsibility for education is shifting away from the state and back to the parents or individual. Today, it is almost impossible to teach students everything they need to know as adults. Learning how to learn and learning useful resources are becoming the most important goals in education. Education is moving to many different venues where learning materials can be accessed from computer or the web. This is also called just-in-time learning where people can learn something anytime and anywhere. Technology is playing a huge role in this phase as students are building relationships with teachers through the internet. Online relationships allow teachers to focus more on feedback concerning learning process and outcomes. As a future teacher, I might be using a virtual school system and will have to be aware of how to form relationships with students through the internet. This is the beginning of a whole new era of schooling and it will be very different from anything we have ever experienced.

3/1 Exit Slip

Today we listened to the presentation on Chapter 5. I learned a lot of information about the pros and cons about home schooling, distance education and t.v./video education. Lifelong learning is imperative for success to be a contributing citizen. We need to have access to information and how to make sense of information. Teachers should set the ground for the ability to be a lifelong learner to young students. We went to k12.com to view some online interactive games and lessons for children. This is a virtual elementary school provider. This kind of instruction is something that homeschool students would probably experience. We also learned about many different topics through the contemporary issues presentations. There were a lot of new websites that classmates went over that were from the cool tools presentations. I also learned that I still need to create my Wetpaint page and add my technology inquiry question!

Chapter 5 Reflection

Reading this chapter has made me take into perspective all of the unique learning avenues people can take during this day and age. With technology, learning has become available through diverse approaches that many people take advantage of. Home-schooling, workplace learning, distance education, adult education, learning centers, educational television and videos, computer-based learning software, technical certifications, and Internet cafes are the distinct ways individuals go about learning. These ways of learning include people of all ages that wish to continue lifelong learning. This chapter impacts my thinking of technology's role in learning because I have discovered and compared these learning techniques. There are upsides and downsides to each of these approaches to learning. It is still surprising to me that people are able to take classes online. I think that this strategy of learning is truly amazing when I think about everything that has to take place for distance education to be successful. As someone who used to work at a learning center, I do not see this style of learning taking over completely. I think the way it is used now (as a learning supplement and aid) works best.

In the classroom I might try to incorporate some of these methods to take on a different look for learning. Using educational television or videos will probably be incorporated into the classroom to help students understand topics further. I also plan to use computer based learning software in the classroom when students are participating in centers. Technology in the classroom will further the knowledge of my students.

Exit Slip 2/22

Today my group presented in class on Chapter 4. I learned more about presenting in front of a class and more of what I need to work on personally.

We learned some new programs to use while making our podcast that is due next week. We were also reminded of all requirements for the podcast. Audacity is recommended to use if you use a windows computer. Garageband is recommended for Mac users. Audacity is a very simple program to use. We learned a brief version of how to use audacity and it seems fairly easy to use. There are controls to use while creating the podcast at the top of the application. Audacity does not have any preloaded audio files.

Garageband is looks a little more appealing and has different quality than Audacity. Controls are at the bottom of the screen. Garageband seems like there are a lot more options to choose from while creating this podcast. I will be using this program!

Virtual field trips are interactive through the web. This is less money and easier to schedule. It cannot replace real life experiences. You can take your class to other places that they would not be able to go to. There is a lot more reading for the students during these field trips and this does not sound as attractive.

Virtual schooling is online whiteboards, phones, not being with a teacher face to face. This can be more cost effective for students when considering textbooks. Socialization can be affected because students are not surrounded by peers. There are limitations with age, especially the younger students. This could give students more flexibility with their time.

We also learned different ways to reword our technology inquiry questions. I still have to finalize my topic and will do this soon!

Book Chapter Presentation Reflection

In preparing for this presentation, my group met several times to brainstorm ideas for the best presentation we could develop. We viewed many different presentation programs that are available on the internet and finally narrowed it down to Prezi. We were already vaguely familiar with this program. We were considering different timeline programs but could not find one that suited our material. Since we had all read the chapter previous to meeting, we split up sections to become 'experts' when presenting. We also searched for a video to begin the presentation that related to the information in the chapter. At first, when we were creating the Prezi presentation, it was difficult to figure out. We watched some tutorials to become more experienced and this helped. We talked over what each group member would be saying during our presentation and did a practice run to make sure it ran smoothly. We put great effort into making sure this presentation was completed correctly.

When students present information to their peers, they are gaining experience talking in front of a large group. It is different than having the teacher stand in front of the class every day and also makes things more interesting. Peers enjoy listening to familiar voices and watching them present so they can gain ideas as well. Presenting information to the class also requires hard work in creating and putting together a final product. There is knowledge learned in several different areas. Presenting course content to peers will also help in the future when I am a teacher because it is giving me more experience talking to a whole group. The more practice that future teachers can get speaking publicly, the more comfortable they will become at this.

Chapter 4 Reflection

After reading this chapter, I have learned a lot about how education has progressed throughout different eras. During the first half of the 19th century there was a transformation from apprenticeship to universal schooling. Up until the 19th century, education was largely the responsibility of the parents and children were taught everything they needed to know by those that were close to them. American schooling resulted from a chain of events 1. Invention of the Printing Press 2. The Reformation 3. The American Revolution 4. The Industrial Revolution. The printing press led to a widespread development and a diffusion of knowledge. Education is centered on the major products of literate thought (reading, writing, history, mathematics and science).

The American Revolution brought about the need for an educated populace. A strong education system was required to help citizens understand and be able to defend their rights. The call for an educated populace formed the basis for the movement toward universal schooling. This was a shift that led to the belief that education occurs in the school not the home. Reading how far education has gone, really makes me take teaching into perspective. Education has changed so much up until where it is currently. I cannot even imagine learning without universal schooling.

This chapter did not focus much on technology, its main focus was on the changes throughout the educational system. I am sure throughout each era, there was specific technology used that was relevant to that time period. As a future teacher, I assume that we will still be in the Knowledge Revolution so technology will still be abundant and easily accessible. I will incorporate technology in my classroom so my students will be trained with necessary instruments to prepare them for future careers.

Exit Slip 2/15

Today we listened to the chapter 3 presentation on technology skepticism. This chapter looked at why schools have decided not to use technology and the reasons defending this. Some strategies to include technology without changing the traditions of teaching include: condemning, co-opting, and marginalizing. Computers are not able to teach functional skills such as handwriting, social skills, or critical thinking. The teacher is necessary in the classroom to teach important skills such as these. Assessment highly relies on technology these days in tests such as the GRE and other certification exams.

Glogster is a website to create presentations that resemble online scrapbooks. It may not appeal to some because it has a feminine vibe about it. Progress monitoring is important to include in classrooms of all ages. The group that presented did a good job with this aspect. Their presentation was not full of lots of words and this made the conversation continue throughout the class. They also were a good example to the class as they responded to our answers with their own opinions. For next week, when my group presents, we need to remember to introduce ourselves and conclude our presentation.

The contemporary issues presentations were very controversial. There were many different opinions and questions asked about the topics. We were introduced to podcasts for our future assignment. This is new to me because I have never listen to/watched a podcast.

Chapter 3 Reflection

After reading this chapter, I learned that the school system relies on current and consistent technologies. These can include tools such as: paper, pens, pencils, chalk, overhead projectors and loud-speaker systems. The main communication and record tool used in schools is paper. There are often barriers with technology in schools and these can include: cost and access, classroom management, challenges to instruction, authority and teaching and assessment. Skeptics argue that schools will not change in the face of new technologies.

The technology skeptics argument makes me put into perspective the disadvantages of technology in schools. I realize that the cost of having classrooms being so technologically advanced is just not realistic. There will always be malfunctions with technology as well so there will have to be someone trained to fix the problems (this costs money too). I think that classrooms should have at least one computer so students can become familiar with using them. It it not necessary to have multiple computers where distractions will arise and teachers become less in control over the students.

In my future classroom I will take into consideration the risks of having technology in the school and classroom and become more cautious when I plan to use it. I will also be somewhat of an advocate towards technology because I realize that it is necessary to introduce to students. Technology will eventually take over, it is just a matter of time. Students need to be aware of the rising need for use of technology and they will get opportunities to practice with it in the classroom.

Exit Slip 2/1

Today in class we learned some information about locating reliable websites. One important fact is that .org websites are not always reliable even though this has always been my previous thought. I learned a brand new website that will be helpful to me as both a teacher and a parent in the future. Google custom search is the title of a website where the search engine can be altered or fixed to only allow certain sites to be pulled up. This can be used to limit and filter out the bad websites when children are using the computer. Children do not even have to know this boundary is set while they are searching the web.
During the Chapter 2 presentation, they opened the lesson with a video which was enthralling to the rest of the class as listeners. We were very intrigued with what they were about to present to us. I learned it is good to start every presentation or lesson with a hook. We also learned what the expectations are for our Cool Tools presentation. I am excited to start this and learn more about my website.

Evaluating Websites for Credibility

As a teacher in the Knowledge Revolution, I plan on using all sorts of technology with my students in the classroom. It is always important to monitor what they are working on and teach them appropriate ways to look up information. I can help them with evaluating websites for credibility by telling them to read everything very carefully. Always double check the information you are reading with another website or source of knowledge. If something is not believable it is best to compare it with a truly reliable source. If a student is unsure of how to tell if a website if reliable they can always ask the teacher for help in determining what is right.

It is also important to check for authors and contact information on pages. Viewing how often the page is updated proves that the website has current information listed. When facts are stated on the website it is definitely reliable if the author cites the source. If the source is cited the reader can go back and check the original source for the information and make sure that this is reliable. Teachers should have a list of these procedures by the computers for students to refer to with the last option as checking with the teacher. If this list is too complicated for the students to do at this young age, they can work with an aid or the teacher directly when they are on computers looking up information.

Book Talk Reflection

After completing my book talk on "The Rainbow Fish" I learned a lot about the program I used, iMovie. I had never used it before this assignment so I had to figure everything out as I was doing it. This assignment took a little more effort than I had originally planned because I used two different computers. After saving the unfinished project on a disk and loading it onto another computer, everything did not save as it was originally done. I had to fix some segments and add more pictures to finally have my whole project in one piece. I liked recording my voice and fitting it in the same time frame as the slides on the video. It was challenging at first because I did not know what I was doing, but I eventually figured everything out.

I believe this project was assigned to let us as future teachers become more familiar with technology. The more we use different types of software on computers, the more we can integrate it into our classrooms. I plan on using iMovie to create things for my students to use quite often in class. This can be a unique way to present something. This task impacts my future teaching because I will be able to use this new knowledge and apply what I know for my students. I can also create short films for the students parents or guardians to view and see what is happening in the classroom.

Chapter 2 Reflection

After reading this chapter, I noticed that there can be a lot of diverse views about technology in the classroom. As I was reading, I was comparing my thoughts to the technology enthusiasts' views. I agree that schools need to start preparing students more for the real world and begin to include more technology in the classroom. Currently, technology is mainly being used in special classes and not as often as it should be used everywhere else. Schools should be embracing these opportunities to educate students further with technology. Enthusiasts believe that the gap between technology used at school and work will force schools to incorporate these new methods. I think that technology should begin to be widely used in multiple areas in the school so students can 'grow up' in the Knowledge Revolution and proceed in the working world being prepared with skills in technology. Although this could be expensive to include such technologies in schools, it can start slowly and gradually increase to a common practice.

As a future teacher, I will try to have a large spread of different types of technology in my classroom. I will also be a technology advocate at my school if there are not many opportunities to use technology in other areas throughout the school. It is very important to have students become familiar with computers because they will likely be using them in their careers one day. Technology will not stop advancing and it is imparitive to keep up with this progression. The internet can be used as a tool in the classroom as long as it is used appropriately. Students can use this for assignments or to look up information that they are not yet aware of. "Just-in-time-learning" can be used in the classroom for both teachers and students to learn new facts. Teachers can also use the internet for publication of students work so their parents or guardians can have a chance to see what is happening in their child's classroom. Programs such as computer tutors can be used during center time to aid the teacher in teaching different subjects and to refresh students knowledge.

Exit Slip 1/25

Today I learned a lot of new information about technology! I learned that NETS stands for (National Educational Technology Standards). I did not even know there were standards specifically set for technology in the classroom. I also learned that students can learn both with and from technology. This is helpful in the classroom when deciding what lessons to use and what information to incorporate. I added more bookmarks to my delicious account today and I did not know how to add delicious.com as a bookmark on a computer. I forgot from our last class that we have to sit at the same computer in order for our bookmarks to save. I now know what a booktalk is and what websites to use to create one.

Growing Up Online Reflection

Technology today plays a large role in the lives of young learners. Most rely on it for almost everything including homework assignments, staying in touch with friends, and entertainment. I think it is necessary for both parents and teachers to monitor the use of technology by young learners to make sure they are not using it inappropriately. I think using technology to further learning is most definitely an important aspect especially when researching topics and information. As a future teacher, I will incorporate technology into my classroom and outside of the classroom to the best of my ability. I will assign work that enables my students to become familiar with different types of technology and ideas they can use even outside of the classroom. This video is truly a reality in the lives of people today and catches snapshots of the everyday life happening everywhere.

Digital Autobiography Reflection

I thought that this was a very fun project to complete! It is a very different type of assignment for our class. I was very lucky that my parents were planning a trip to Gainesville this weekend because they were able to bring me some pictures. I enjoyed looking through old pictures and picking out the ones I wanted to use in my autobiography. It was not very hard to scan and upload them to the website. I thought using Animoto was very easy because there were only three short steps to follow. I wish that this website would allow more than a 30 second video because I would have liked for mine to have been just a little longer! I am pleased by the way it turned out in the end and I thought this homework assignment was helpful in getting us acquainted with technology.

Reflection of Preface and Chapter 1

After reading the Preface and Chapter 1 of "Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology", I agree with almost all of the points they have stated. Technology is a large part of our society today and it will eventually become a highly used asset in the classroom. The new alternatives for education in the future include distance education, home schooling, learning centers, and workplace learning. These new changes in the education system will happen in time due to the latest technological advances. I believe the Knowledge Revolution has not yet reached its peak. The use of technology will increase throughout the years reaching both younger and older generations. One important concern when looking at technology both in and out of the classroom is the access that students will have. This will vary among families and what they are able provide at the home. It might limit how far technology in education will fully reach students.

New Thinking

Today I learned: How to create a blog
-That all interactive whiteboards are not called "Smartboards"
- Different types of technology that my classmates frequently use

Role of Technology in Teaching and Learning

Role of Technology in Learning: I believe technology plays a very large role in the classroom. During this day and age, technology is used if many different formats including (but not limited to) computers, interactive whiteboards, and different auditory aids used while reading. Technology is a great assistant for teachers to incorporate during whole group or small group work. From my observations, students are almost always more interested in participating in the activity if they are able to use technology.