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.