Dear Administrator,
While searching on the internet I stumbled upon a instructional website that I think would be great for this school. The website is downloadable and is called www.teachertube.com . Teacher tube is similar to that of YouTube being that it is a video sharing website, but it differs because it is generated mostly by educators used to teach various educational topics. While on the site, I found several videos about the different types of American cultures and how to do multiplication which are related to topics that I am currently teaching. Another great aspect of this site is that it has a rating system. This system allows viewers to rate whether each video is helpful or not. As far as being safe for students, the website has taken precaution by allowing viewers to flag material that may be inappropriate. Once a video is flagged it is reviewed by the administrator to be determined if it should be removed.
I see teacher tube as being a great resource in the classroom with many benefits. One being that it will keep students engaged in the material because students would much rather view a video than read out of their textbook. Also, teacher tube allows me, the teacher, to check for videos related to specific content areas. These videos can be viewed as an instructional resource to help students learn. Another great benefit is that students have the option to create and submit videos as classroom projects for a large audience to view. Finally by using teacher tube in the classroom is just a great way to for students to learn content by using something they love---technology.
Please take to time to review the website so you can see firsthand all the wonderful things Teacher Tube has to offer. I will be looking forward to hearing your response about this new and exciting instructional tool during our next staff meeting.
Thanks,
Ms. Jackson
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Updated Technology Autobiography
Okay, so it has been roughly two weeks since I began taking thisteaching with technology course. Before this course, I barely used technology in any of my lessons and when I did I, stuck to thebasics…overheard, projector, smart board. This course has opened upmy mind to all the new emerging technology that is out there forteachers to use on a regular basis. For example, I learned aboutblogging, Wiki, Flickr, MovieMaker, Podcasts, RSS, Skype, Twitter, and the list goes on. Most of these I never even heard of or even alone experienced for myself. As of this moment, I overwhelmed with all thenew information about technology that I have learned about in such ashort amount of time.
Now since I am familiar with different types of emerging technology, Ican begin to incorporate them into my lessons when I student teach. Itook my first step when I created the matrix for this course. I enjoyed creating lesson plans using the different types of technology. This actually gave me the opportunity to revisit the types of technology thatI liked the most and thought were going to be the most beneficial to mein the elementary classroom. For example, I like the idea of blogging, using MovieMaker, Flickr, and the search engine soople.
This course has also helped me to boost my confidence in using technology in my lessons. Beforehand, I was skeptical about using teacher based technology in the classroom because I only knew the basic functions of the most general technology available. Also, I would have never taught a lesson that involved students using technology because I was too nervous that the students would ask questions about the software that I would not know how to answer or the technology would not work leaving my lesson in shambles. Since taking this course and learning about the differenty types of free software and technology available, I feel like like I’ve been exposed to the tools needed to create awesome lesson plans that integrate different types of emerging technology.
Now since I am familiar with different types of emerging technology, Ican begin to incorporate them into my lessons when I student teach. Itook my first step when I created the matrix for this course. I enjoyed creating lesson plans using the different types of technology. This actually gave me the opportunity to revisit the types of technology thatI liked the most and thought were going to be the most beneficial to mein the elementary classroom. For example, I like the idea of blogging, using MovieMaker, Flickr, and the search engine soople.
This course has also helped me to boost my confidence in using technology in my lessons. Beforehand, I was skeptical about using teacher based technology in the classroom because I only knew the basic functions of the most general technology available. Also, I would have never taught a lesson that involved students using technology because I was too nervous that the students would ask questions about the software that I would not know how to answer or the technology would not work leaving my lesson in shambles. Since taking this course and learning about the differenty types of free software and technology available, I feel like like I’ve been exposed to the tools needed to create awesome lesson plans that integrate different types of emerging technology.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Response to Chapter 9
This chapter was my least favorite in the entire book. Many of the ideas were those that had already been presented throughout the book. Therefore I do not have much to say but that I agree with and accept the big shifts in technology. My only question is why at the end of the MAT program am I just now taking this course? It seems as though Teaching with Technology should be one of the first few courses that future teachers should take. I think that technology is extremely important to integrate in the classroom, so it seems like the knowledge gained from this course would have been extremely beneficial in my methods courses. If I would have familiar with all the free technology available for teachers to use to support their lessons, I could have already been implementing the use of technology in my lessons. Therefore, I think that UofL should require all student teachers to take this course in the beginning of their program so that they can get practice using their knowledge throughout the entire program.
Response to Chapter 6
Chapter 6:
I have been using the social web for a few years now. I am addicted to Facebook! I post pictures and I frequently update my status. Though I doubt Facebook would ever be used in the classroom, I never imagined using social sites such as Twitter for educational purposes. The book lists several ways Twitter can be used in the classroom. For example, a teacher could post a short question in their Twitt and could use the cell phone feature to get instant feedback from students. I personally would never use Twitter in my elementary classroom, but I could see maybe how it could be integrated into high school courses. Though Twitter can be used for educational purposes, if teachers choose to use the site in their classroom I think they run the risk of students getting distracted by following others that may not be appropriate.
This chapter also spends a great deal of time discussing social benchmarking services. I absolutely love the idea of using Diigo to save links, while having the option to add comments for later usage. The great thing about this is having the option to access the material from anywhere that has an internet connection. As of matter of fact, I after reading this chapter I started my own account. This has the potential to be a great resource to use throughout my teaching career.
I have been using the social web for a few years now. I am addicted to Facebook! I post pictures and I frequently update my status. Though I doubt Facebook would ever be used in the classroom, I never imagined using social sites such as Twitter for educational purposes. The book lists several ways Twitter can be used in the classroom. For example, a teacher could post a short question in their Twitt and could use the cell phone feature to get instant feedback from students. I personally would never use Twitter in my elementary classroom, but I could see maybe how it could be integrated into high school courses. Though Twitter can be used for educational purposes, if teachers choose to use the site in their classroom I think they run the risk of students getting distracted by following others that may not be appropriate.
This chapter also spends a great deal of time discussing social benchmarking services. I absolutely love the idea of using Diigo to save links, while having the option to add comments for later usage. The great thing about this is having the option to access the material from anywhere that has an internet connection. As of matter of fact, I after reading this chapter I started my own account. This has the potential to be a great resource to use throughout my teaching career.
Response to Chapter 8
Chapter 8:
About a year ago I watched a Dateline story about using iPods in the classroom. During this segment, the interviewer introduced Podcasting as new and emerging technology that could be extremely useful in classrooms around the world. Like many other forms of technology, I never created a Podcast until this course. At first I was skeptical about Podcast because I did not fully understand their purpose in the elementary classroom. I also thought that it would be too complicated to implement within my classroom. After reading this chapter I was able to recognize how beneficial Podcasts could be. For example the author mentions that a Social Studies teacher could have students do oral histories, interviews, or reenactments of historical events. I also like the idea that teachers could record important lessons and post them to their weblog for students to have access to. This could benefit students who were absent for the day or even students who need to revisit the material to gain greater understanding of the content. My question is how many students would actually listen to the Podcast outside of school?
About a year ago I watched a Dateline story about using iPods in the classroom. During this segment, the interviewer introduced Podcasting as new and emerging technology that could be extremely useful in classrooms around the world. Like many other forms of technology, I never created a Podcast until this course. At first I was skeptical about Podcast because I did not fully understand their purpose in the elementary classroom. I also thought that it would be too complicated to implement within my classroom. After reading this chapter I was able to recognize how beneficial Podcasts could be. For example the author mentions that a Social Studies teacher could have students do oral histories, interviews, or reenactments of historical events. I also like the idea that teachers could record important lessons and post them to their weblog for students to have access to. This could benefit students who were absent for the day or even students who need to revisit the material to gain greater understanding of the content. My question is how many students would actually listen to the Podcast outside of school?
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Response to Chapter 4
Chapter 4:
Wikipedia is the greatest, quick research tool to man! I must admit anytime I research a topic I type it into Google and look for the Wikipedia link. This may sound stupid, but until this class I did not know that Wikipedia was created by regular individuals and constantly updated by other random people. I always assumed that since Wikipedia was a .org website, then it could be used a reliable resource. Since I’ve learned that anyone can edit Wikipedia, I have been skeptical of the information that I gather from the website. Because I know several professors will not allow you to cite Wikipedia as a source because of accuracy, I was actually shocked to see that 4 out of 5 experts say Wikipedia entries are accurate, informative, and a great resource. Honestly, I’ve never checked Wikipedia to see if the information given was correct or not. Along with the vast majority of individuals, I believe Wikipedia is the new “IT” for quick information. In my classroom I will definitely allow students to use Wikipedia in their research, as long as they find other documentation that supports it.
Wikipedia is the greatest, quick research tool to man! I must admit anytime I research a topic I type it into Google and look for the Wikipedia link. This may sound stupid, but until this class I did not know that Wikipedia was created by regular individuals and constantly updated by other random people. I always assumed that since Wikipedia was a .org website, then it could be used a reliable resource. Since I’ve learned that anyone can edit Wikipedia, I have been skeptical of the information that I gather from the website. Because I know several professors will not allow you to cite Wikipedia as a source because of accuracy, I was actually shocked to see that 4 out of 5 experts say Wikipedia entries are accurate, informative, and a great resource. Honestly, I’ve never checked Wikipedia to see if the information given was correct or not. Along with the vast majority of individuals, I believe Wikipedia is the new “IT” for quick information. In my classroom I will definitely allow students to use Wikipedia in their research, as long as they find other documentation that supports it.
Response to Chapters 3, 5, & 7
Chapter 3:
This chapter is a run-on of chapter 2. Boring! Though, I must admit that I like the idea of having my class participating in weblogs. One issue of concern is safety. The author goes in great detail how to control posts from students and comments from others. I wonder if JCPS has access to blogging sites or if they have blocked them all together? The other issue that concerns me is being able to assess the numerous blogs. For example, in primary grades would I just check off if they completed the blog or would I actually grade the blog for their critical thoughts?
Chapter 5:
I had never heard of this type of technology until reading this chapter. The RSS sounds extremely interesting to tryout, but also overwhelming. As mentioned in the book, I guess it will take time to be able to spot the useful information from the not so useful material. The author also lists several ways the RSS can be used by educators. I like the idea that it can be used to gather new research information and even keep track of new posts that students create on their weblogs. The RSS is something that I can definitely see myself using in my classroom.
Chapter 7:
As you may be able to tell, I am not a techno savvy individual. The first time I accessed Flickr was in this class. At first I did not see how it would play a role in the classroom, but by collaborating with others and reading this chapter, I found many useful ways. For example, I love the idea that Flickr can be used to post weekly pictures of classroom activities. This is great for parents to see, especially in elementary. Another cool aspect is Flickr with Google Maps and Google Earth. I had no idea that you can find out where a photo was actually taken. I bet I could create some great geography lessons in the future using these types of technology.
This chapter is a run-on of chapter 2. Boring! Though, I must admit that I like the idea of having my class participating in weblogs. One issue of concern is safety. The author goes in great detail how to control posts from students and comments from others. I wonder if JCPS has access to blogging sites or if they have blocked them all together? The other issue that concerns me is being able to assess the numerous blogs. For example, in primary grades would I just check off if they completed the blog or would I actually grade the blog for their critical thoughts?
Chapter 5:
I had never heard of this type of technology until reading this chapter. The RSS sounds extremely interesting to tryout, but also overwhelming. As mentioned in the book, I guess it will take time to be able to spot the useful information from the not so useful material. The author also lists several ways the RSS can be used by educators. I like the idea that it can be used to gather new research information and even keep track of new posts that students create on their weblogs. The RSS is something that I can definitely see myself using in my classroom.
Chapter 7:
As you may be able to tell, I am not a techno savvy individual. The first time I accessed Flickr was in this class. At first I did not see how it would play a role in the classroom, but by collaborating with others and reading this chapter, I found many useful ways. For example, I love the idea that Flickr can be used to post weekly pictures of classroom activities. This is great for parents to see, especially in elementary. Another cool aspect is Flickr with Google Maps and Google Earth. I had no idea that you can find out where a photo was actually taken. I bet I could create some great geography lessons in the future using these types of technology.
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