A Role of Technology Blog

It is funny every time I see the word, technology, I always chuckle and think of Kip from Napoleon Dynamite.  With the role of technology becoming more and more integrated into our everyday lives, especially digital technology, as future teachers we need to open our minds and be able to incorporate new ideas every day where teaching students is concerned.


The tools that I would use would vary, such as computers in the classroom.  Most students now have access to a computer at home, so the idea of a podcast to give an assignment or actually put a lecture on podcast and have the student do feedback on it would be an excellent tool.  Students could ineract in many ways, like we have learned this semester such as Twitter, the podcast idea, SMS e-mails and Google and it's various tools.


The skills that are necessary, most students have them and  know how to use them now.  How these skills are learned are usually at home, but this would give us as teachers a great opportunity to teach a student to download a podcast, to answer an online quiz or to truely be able to have a virtual classroom, where both the student and the teacher can interact with each other.  If the technology is used right, then it will capture and inspire a student to learn better.  Myself as "old school", thought I would never be able to use a online math program to learn.  I have always been bad at math, and thought I would have to have a teacher in a classical classroom setting for this to work for me.  I found out that I could do better with this math program and learn better comprehension skills.  So the tools are there to make it work to our, the students advantage if we get through the barriers of instituting new ideas.


Promoting and furthering digitial learning, is one that will be a constant challenge for the teachers and students to adapt to.  In learning the new techniques, we can overcome old ways and seek to use new ideas for better learning.  We can promote digital citizenship along with regular learning in a blend that will succeed.  Parents are a crucial key to this, and they also have to defend and support these new ideas so that their children will succeed in life and in the knowledge that they can pass on to future generations.

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Embedding the Playlist with an Introduction

This is really a cool feature. I am now going to embed my playlist that I made for class. This is going to be a new adventure for me and see if it works!

Embedding YouTube Videos on our blogs

In class today we learned how to embed YouTube videos in our blog.  It was really interesting and here are the videos I chose:






I guess I am learning things to do on this "infernal contraption"!

The Spreadsheet Integration Project

As I looked at these, these seemed to be very well done, advanced lesson plans.  They took the teacher through the steps necessary to achieve the learning experience on the subject that was given.  I looked at one that was for Roman History.  It seemed very through and took the students as a group to do the research.

The steps involved seemed to be similiar to doing a lesson plan.  Details included using video devices, online resources and media resources that could be used to enhance the students learning.  The process took weeks to do, and once the project was accomplished, learning was measured and the project is accessed.  The students liked this form of learning, though the teacher made references that in a Junior High setting, the students had to be constantly supervised.

I would adapt this to the project that we did for the powerpoint presentation.  This is the basic research project.  In high school, hopefully it would not need as much supervision as junior high.  Students would then be integrated into a group learning process and would have to rely on each other as team mates and not as single players and hopefully eliminating bias.  I think this type of project works well to acheive learning.

High School History Class Netiquette

It was quite interesting setting up rules for how a class is supposed to act on the net.  I know that from experience in our edtech class, some of us, me included go to other sites to goof off.  This is to be expected in any class with a compter,  The tendency to go to a different site other than the one we are supposed to go to.

When I went to high school, the only ways to research anything was through print media.  We all know that this changed in the 90's with the advent of the home computer.  Today, with cellphones, the net, and other devices we can retreive information in a nanosecond. 

The rule I made were wery straight forward.  I emphisised team work as the most important rule and being able to get along and no cyber bullying.  It will happen, but hopefully if parents, teachers and kids just try and make an effort to get rid of this behavior it will benefit everyone in the long run of life.

Here is the link to the presentation

https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AfokAtcD4RKfZGg3N2N3Zl8yZjNqazh6ZGs&hl=en

#4-Jigsaw Classroom

In reading the overview of the Jigsaw Classroom, I was impressed with the way that it can blend differnt ethnicities together to reach a common goal.  It seems to be genius yet simplistic to split up the lesson to be learned in different tasks and have the students search them out then put them together. 

If there were only five computers in your classroom,  the advantage would be that the first five students to seek out the pieces of the puzzle so to speak, and then know the answer to the puzzle before the rest of the class. 

The disadvantages to only having five computers in a grade school environment would be that the dominant and bright students would find the answers quicker then the slower stuidents would.  Also the brighter students would be bored easier than the other students, so possibly variety would have to be used to keep this method of learning fresh. 

#3-Google Apps for the Classroom

As the video showed there are so many things to do with Google Apps.  Even though it was produced as a selling tool to schools, it had alot of information that we as future teachers can use. 
I think that in the three tools that I would have my students use would be

1.  Book Search-  This would be invaluable in looking for books that would be helpful in doing research projects, book reports and for looking up general information.  This might be more specific than a general search engine.

2.  iGoogle-  Students would be able to set up their own accounts and use them as they see fit.  It has great tools and students can use them to their advantage.

3.  Blogger-  This is something that students can write their own reflections about and show that they are mastering or trying to master the skills needed in todays ever changing world.

As technology grows, we have to adapt to it.  I am the old dog learning the new tricks!  And the new tricks seem to be fun and are a growing experience!

Technology in the Classroom for Special Needs Children

Having to view the various delivery methods of various technologies that are being developed and used in the classroom, the one that sticks out the most is the ECO 14 or "EZkeys".  This communication device and software that we saw in the You Tube video.  This is a similar device that Stephen Hawking uses to communicate.  This innvoative way of communication has helped so many people with total disabilities learn and grow and be able to overcome the challenges that they face in everyday life and learning.

Hand held devices can show children with autism and other speech impared children how to convey their needs to teachers and support staff.  These simple devices can be understood by the students, and usually the simplist tools are the best ones.

Technology for special needs students is growing by leaps and bounds every day.  What we take for granted  can be one of the most difficult things for a special needs student to convey to the teacher.  These special software programs and devices make understanding and learning rewarding for both teachers and students.

First Week of School

Well made it through the first week of school.  There seemed to be more hick-ups and burps through the technology side of things, i.e. Blackboard.  I suppose that those things can be worked through.  It is good having to try to work through the challenges that life has to offer.  Sometimes too many people just sit idly by and not try to take life for what it has to offer. 

My career in the military gave me that and now I want to return that by becoming a teacher.  Hopefully I will be able to attain this goal.  Life at any age is about setting and attaining goals.  I feel that one should strive to always further your academic life as much as you can.  It doesnt matter the age its the experiences that you can take and pass along that can be worthwhile and meaningful!!

Technology..................

I dont think blackboard is working. Still cant access the assignments for Edtech202. I also think for my History of Family course is going to suffer the same fate, until they get the bugs all worked out.

My First Blog

That did not take long at all.  This is the first blog I have attempted and I will add things as this semester goes along.  I am a non-traditional student, meaning I am old.  I was in the military for 29 years and was medically retired.  I decided to finish my degree and see if I can pass my knowledge along to the next generation.  I am a History major.  History is really facinating and as the saying goes, does tend to repeat itself.  I have seen this many times in my life.  Well I will continue this as I think of more things to add.