Reflection #6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8

This video really inspires me every time I watch it. I love the cardboard confessional style in this video.What the students are saying on their white boards is so true of the American education system today. I think all  teachers that are leery of using technology in education should really watch this video. If teachers do not utilize the technology they are offered, how are they to engage a population of digital learners?

Blog #7 - Caught on Video

In today's society, technology has revolutionized the ways people live their everyday lives. Small portable video cameras allow for a new way that teachers can incorporate technology into education. Sprankle brings up a very good point when he suggests that students use the video cameras to record what they learned in class. This also allows students to look back later and review those concepts for a test or assignment.

Glogger

Week #8 - Reading and Writing

http://www.funenglishgames.com/writinggames.html
This site has 6 different writing games that children can use to improve their writing skills. I especially liked the letter writer and the story game. The letter writing game generates a letter for students after they fill out the requested information. The story generator is much like mad lib, however students can read the story they are creating as they are writing. These two lessons could serve as introductions to a writing lesson.

Reflection #5

We owe a lot of today's technological advances to Steve Jobs. Apple products have revolutionized the way that people live their lives. Almost everyone in the United States has been influenced by Steve Jobs' inventions. Although Steve Jobs has passed away the legacy that he has left behind will forever be remembered. Educators around America utilize Apple products to enhance their teaching. I look forward to using many old and new Apple products in my classroom.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2394213,00.asp#fbid=ePB5JFdAVBs

Reflection #4

One of my biggest frustrations from my high school classes, were the teachers' NEED to play movies to "enchance" students' learning. During the normal school day I attended 4 classes. On some days 3 to 4 of my classes were spent watching movies that pertained to the information we were currently learning. However most of these films were not eduational documentaries or nonfiction movies. These were motion picture films. Some films were very beneficial to my learning, but many other films seemed rather unnecessary and rather served to save the teacher from the need to teach. Therefore as a future teacher, I will seek to minimize the number of unnecessary videos and films that I show in my classroom so that I do not waste precious teaching time. 

Reflection #3

For 16 years of my life, I attended a private Christian school that was not necessarily technologically advanced in the classroom. My senior year of high school was my first experience hearing about a document camera or even a smart board. And I only heard about these technological advances after I visited Northwest University for a Northwest Friday. At my high school, each classroom was equipped with a overhead projector, a desktop computer, and a TV with a DVD and VHS player. However the teachers at my school utilized the technology that they were provided with in the classroom. Class lectures consited of powerpoint presentations and overhead slides. When we had class time to work on a research project or paper, we took a class trip to the school library, which had enough computers for the whole class. Therefore, even if a school is not as technologically advanced as others, the teachers should make sure to utilize the resources they do have to optimize the students' learning experience.

Comments on Classmates' Blogs

1. Cassie (http://cassietheduke.blogspot.com/2011/09/week-5.html?showComment=1318110130977#c1367671577354807176)
2. Stephanie (http://stephaniesneezes.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-first-post.html?showComment=1318110488175#c3899847454338800671)
3. Kyle (http://tatro8.blogspot.com/2011/10/reflection-2-converting-classics-into.html?showComment=1318718872892#c2681363725952177998)
4. JoDee (http://teacherjodee.blogspot.com/2011/09/promothean-activboard.html?showComment=1318117066711#c3980376529930647671)
5. Jodie (http://jodiecastleberrythoughts.blogspot.com/2011/09/week-2-reflective-or-informative.html?showComment=1318117408374#c3411440406157267011)
6. Drew (http://drewjensen08-drew.blogspot.com/2011/09/digital-natites-digital-immigrants.html?showComment=1318118005184#c3615871096183384282)
7. Peter (http://pruiznuteched.blogspot.com/2011/10/reflection-4.html?showComment=1318718111684#c1596292590415864482)
8. Camille (http://camgasparini.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-first-blog.html?showComment=1318718360371#c3745939765200739137)
9. Beth (http://bethhascalltech.blogspot.com/2011/10/post-7.html?showComment=1318718489092#c8960848746031715403)
10. Chelsea (http://chelseamarie731.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-do-i-feel-about-technology.html?showComment=1318719228903#c8545158937449453047)

Week #7 - Blogs for Educators

I looked at Mr. Tepley's 5th grade classroom in Mulkiteo. I really liked the idea of posting a link to the math curriculum (Math Connects). Thus students have the opportunity to expand their math knowledge after class. The Math Connects website offers students virtual activities and games that test their knowledge. I also liked how the teacher posted math worksheets on the website which allows students to print them out for more practice.  

Reflection #2

I wish the professors at Northwest University were required to attend a seminar on technology in the classroom. All of my classes are equip with document cameras, computers, and smart boards. However only a few of my teachers utilize the resources that they are provided with. Class lectures would greatly benefit from the use of the Smart Boards but most professors do not know how to use them. Therefore Northwest should offer a mandatory technology seminar for all professors at the beginning of each school year.

Reflection #1

I currently work in the Bellevue School District as an AVID coach. The classroom I work in is equip with a desktop computer, a printer, a document camera, and a Smart Board. Over the past three weeks I have had the opportunity to observe the teacher utilize all of her resources in the classroom. The document camera allows for her to demonstrate how she expects her students to complete various assignments and forms. The students also had the opportunity to browse and print images for an in-class art assignment.Through my AVID class, I have had the opportunity to observe how the use of technology in the classroom can affect students' learning, and thus I want to strive to utilize all the resources in my future classroom.

Blog #6 - Generation IM

There are so many technological possibilities in today's classroom, and many teachers still do not utilize the resources that they have to optimize their students' learning. School districts should provide technology training programs for teachers, allowing teachers the time and opportunity to integrate technology in their classroom. I was amazed at how many different ways a teacher could integrate technology in a classroom setting. Classroom technology is no longer limited to Word, PowerPoint, and Google. Students can now create blogs, wikis, upload videos and explore a world of other opportunities with technology.


In order to incorporate technology into a science lesson, students could set up a blog for the whole year. Students would record all data and results from science labs. Each student in the district would  have a lab blog.  Students would have the opportunity to compare their results with students in different schools.