Week 8: What I've Learned

On-line communication tools should help people share information, allow for productive conversations and promote thinking among various individuals and groups.  These tools can be used to facilitate communication between all groups of people, be it administrators and staff or between students and teachers.  Either way, the tools should be a means to an end. 

As a future educator, I am very excited about the possibilities that on-line communication tools offer.  These tools are all designed individually, but work together so well.  In my future classroom, I hope that I can combine various online tools to provide the best flow of information and collaboration within the classroom and outside to parents and other staff. 

I am partial to the blog for general information and a location where the teacher can provide answers and ‘need to know’ information.  Using a blog to communicate information is easy and straightforward; there is a small learning curve as to how to use the blog.  But I like most that there is no new equipment or software required.  If you have a computer and an internet access, you can have a blog.  It’s also easy for the end-user.  It’s easy to access, read and reply to if necessary. 

However, when you are using online communication tools, you must always consider the issues of security.  The security issues that educators must consider run the gamut…from individual PC security to the security of yourself and your students.  Not only do teachers and administrators have to be concerned about the physical security of the software and hardware, but they also have to be concerned about the security of information and identity. 

The potential for viruses, malware, worms, and Trojan horses is unending.  By opening your computer to the internet, you automatically open the door for these unwanted ‘bugs’.  It is vital that the computer and the network being used have sufficient protection against these invaders.  Firewalls and virus protection must be installed and updated regularly.  Your computer must be ‘checked’ regularly for viruses.  Often times viruses can be on your computer without your knowledge.  So, it’s important to regularly check your computer.  In addition, it’s important to check sites such as Microsoft Security Bulletins for messages and warnings about potential hazards for your computer.  As a further precaution, it’s important to backup your data regularly.  While this is not a ‘preventive’ measure, it is a smart option to protect your data in the event that your computer is ever compromised.

But in addition to the ‘technical’ security that educators must consider, it’s also imperative to model appropriate behavior when it comes to responsible behavior with internet use.  This includes instructing students to not give out personal information that could be used to identify them.  As much as we would like to believe the world is a safe place, it’s not and we must be responsible and not open ourselves and our students to potential threats.  Further examples of ‘secure’ use would include instructing students to be cautious of what sites they visit and what types of attachments they should and should not open.

In general, using passwords, firewalls, virus protection and all-around responsible behavior will reduce the potential for an attack from the outside to your classroom.  However, there is always a chance that your computer will be attacked.  Remember to use caution when accessing any information on-line and to always be prepared with back-up data.

Until the next time…be safe!

Week 7: What I've Learned

This week’s assignment once again leaves me exploring the universe.  As I’ve stated repeatedly here on this very blog, I’m amazed each week when I realize the amount of information that is available to us all and how little I am actually accessing.  On one hand, it makes me very excited at the endless possibilities.  However, on the other hand, I get depressed and weary; pondering all the things I still need to find and how much I just don’t know!  Ok, enough of my neurosis…..here’s what I’ve learned this week!

In review, there are seven different types of educational software, including Drill and Practice, Problem Solving, Creative, Tutorial, Simulation, Image and Draw/Paint.  After reviewing the different types of educational software, I’ve found that I really like several of those types.  Each type can be tailored to specific goals and that makes choosing difficult.  The problem with picking software is two-fold.  First, you must know that it will meet your educational goals.  And two….well, you have to consider purchase price.  Part of this dilemma is solved by free software, known as shareware and freeware.  However, again, there are limitations to the ‘freeness’ as you are sometimes given demos and/or expiration dates on those freebies. 

Being a student of education rather than a teacher at this point, my experience with educational software is from a strictly academic standpoint rather than a user’s perspective.  In general, I want to use Drill and Practice software such as those used in balancing chemical equations.  This type of software can offer immediate answers to student attempts.  In addition, it can show the corrected equation and give information (i.e. Tutorial) on how to complete the process for future equations.  Drill and Practice type software is great for younger learners as they are learning concepts and definitions for the first time. 

Discover! Science also offers a great software package that caters to learners in middle and high school.  http://www.scienceschoolhouse.com/index.php?target=products&product_id=5  This software combines several of the different types of education software (BONUS!)  It offers pieces of drill and practice, problem solving, tutorial and simulation.  In this software, the student is given presentation in tutorial form, but then they are assigned quizzes.  One of the most exciting pieces of the software for learners would be the virtual lab.  Virtual labs like those presented in this software or others, like Froguts, offer the student the excitement of lab work without the expense or potential hazards.  Students love the hands on of labs, but administrators worry about the cost and the risks associated with lab work.  This software helps with both sides of the issue.  The lab work is done through the virtual world and is ‘game-like’ to the student.  While the blood and guts are absent, it does provide the student with a true ‘view’ of the lab without the dreaded expense or mess of a live lab.  Of course, as with most software expense may be an issue here.  But again, teachers and administrators must consider the costs of individual labs with the cost of software that can be used repeatedly.  (Insert rubric for cost effective software here!)

As usual, this week has been a great learning experience and once again, an exercise in, “What?  Who knew THAT was available?!”  I love that feeling though…and am truly happy that I’m finding all this incredible information.  Have a great week!

Week 6: What I've Learned

Week 6 has proved to be challenging once again.  Before this week, I had no knowledge of WebQuests.  In fact, if I had been asked to define such a thing, I would’ve responded that it was what you do on the web…quest!  And in fact, I suppose that definition would’ve been close to correct.  A WebQuest is defined as an on-line inquiry model, first established in 1995 by Bernie Doge and Tom March.  These WebQuests are established to break a large project down into smaller tasks.  It aids the student with the learning process and allows the learner to work individually or collectively.

So…of course…we had to create one!  I was all about starting the process.  Signing up for an on-line account through Quest Garden was simple!  But then…the hard part began.  I reviewed numerous WebQuests on various sites.  There were some that were juvenile and many that were much more advanced. The topics varied from researching corn and its properties to examining human body systems from an alien perspective.  These WebQuests were set-up to educate students in a creative and interactive way.  What could I do?

As I am still not teaching, I have to use my imagination and once again, my daughter’s science class information to try and create lessons for this class.  While that sounds like it should be easier because the world is your classroom, it’s also the reason it’s so tough…the world is your classroom!  I decided to stay in the Science world and look for a different angle to approach this task.  I didn’t want to just do a hunt and report type of WebQuest.  While they are informative, they are also quite dull for the student.  How could I make a science based WebQuest and make it creative?  How do you make something entertaining and informative?  This was my biggest dilemma.

As I researched, I decided to use the weather as the topic for my WebQuest.  While it is not always the most exciting of topics for students, it is very accessible.  Weather is something that is talked about at school, on the news, and over the dinner table.  So, how do you take something that is normal to the student and make it exciting?  Once again, I turned to my daughter.  Do something ‘different she says…make if ‘fun’ she says…make a video she says!  Well, I took the idea and went with that!

In order to make the quest something a little different, I took the idea of researching weather topics and gave it a twist.  My WebQuest is set-up as the task of interviewing for a meteorologist job for a local news channel.  The student must research one of three weather topics:  hurricanes, tornadoes, or thunderstorms.  After picking a topic, the student must research the important facts of their topic.  Then, the student will organize the data and create a ‘report’ of the weather.  The student has the option of submitting a script of a weather forecast or submitting a video of the forecast.  The forecast should be a mock weather forecast as you would see on the local news.  My hopes are that the student will not only learn about the weather topics being covered, but they will be able to creatively design a report to include the information and entertain.  This is a skill that will be essential in job interviews:  taking the information you have and presenting it in an effective and efficient way.  And the video presentation can be fun! You can be the forecaster and say all the crazy things that the meteorologists tell us and know the data behind them.  To view my WebQuest, go to http://questgarden.com/118/64/0/110213134654/ and take a look around.

I think the WebQuests can be great tools.  One fact that I enjoy is that they can be edited for future use after you see what works and what doesn’t.  Besides deciding what topic to use, I did encounter some difficulty in designing and setting up the WebQuest.  I found some of the graphics dull and cumbersome.  In addition, I had difficulty importing photographs.  I didn’t think my images were too large, but each time I tired, the application would tell me it was not able to upload the photographs. 

I am totally ready to try again however.  I think many of my ‘issues’ will subside with additional use.  And of course by continuing to review other WebQuests, hopefully I’ll be able to incorporate some of the great ideas that others are sharing!  Until the next time!

Week 5: What I've Learned

Well, as I’ve come to expect, this week I found out what I don’t know! I consider myself pretty tech savvy. Granted, I don’t own all the latest gadgets and gizmos.  I’m a single mom…my extra funds are spent on zebra throw pillows for a certain 10-year old.  However, I have been involved with computers and techno-type items throughout my business career.  I am becoming increasingly aware however of how much ‘stuff’ I left to the IT guys.  (Thanks to you all!)  I prepared Excel and Word documents and PowerPoint Presentations where I set-up the multi-media projectors, etc.  However, I had never given much thought to the blogs or wikis or websites.  My short involvement with website development left me less than excited about continuing in that line of work.  But this week (and during this term) I’m discovering the ease of developing blogs and wikis!

To be honest, I truthfully had no prior knowledge of wikis other than Wikipedia and Wikileaks (yikes!).  While I was quasi aware that Wikipedia was editable, I hadn’t given it much thought.  I certainly hadn’t thought about using a ‘wiki’ in a classroom.  As I am not teaching yet, I have never had the opportunity to use a wiki or a blog for that matter in a teaching environment.  But after researching these types of communication tools, I am really excited about their potential!

While learning about the various types of instruction and different types of learners, we have been reminded repeatedly that we must engage the students.  Now, all of us want to engage the students.  But sometimes it is more difficult than others.  Let’s face it; there is some material that is just BO-RING as my daughter would say!  So, as an educator I am always looking for the ‘hook’ to catch the students’ attention.  I think that wikis and blogs are just that….hooks!

In order for a student to learn, they must engage in the process of learning, right?  What a better way to engage than to participate in the development and presentation of the information!  Using a wiki, students can create a collaborative site that has interactive pieces.  Any visitor to the site can become a part of the creative process.  With guided instruction, the students can create a site that has them as the creator and developer of classroom projects.  In order to prepare the students for this type of work, we will introduce other sites that are currently using this technology.  After seeing other students working on these types of projects, my students will be able to apply what they are learning and start to develop their own class wiki.  There are incredible examples on-line and step-by-step instructions for classroom development.  We will start with ‘baby steps’ by developing a class concept of what we want our wiki to do, who will be our audience and what we want it to look like.  Once we have established these ideas as a group, then we can start the development process.

Many classrooms are using wikis now to display classroom projects, from science experiments to music appreciation.  The students are in charge of researching the content and presenting it.  They must work as a team and learn to edit one another’s work.  The must also learn to organize information.  Using a wiki is a great way to incorporate the standards for the discipline and for technology.  But more over, this type of student involvement engages the student and will most definitely help to foster their knowledge of the content and help them learn technology that is vital for their futures.

Learning is always an adventure.  The age we live in gives us the opportunity to learn in new and exciting ways!  I’m ready!

Week 4: What I've Learned

I’ve presented Power Point presentations for years now.  I’ve developed high-end business presentations and training presentations for military students.  I’ve made “Welcome” presentations for visitors to our company and ‘info-mercials’ for my coworkers.  However, making a PowerPoint presentation for students….now that was a challenge!

Let me start by saying that I have loved PowerPoint since I began using it years ago in business.  It is relatively straightforward and easy to learn.  It’s portable and can be edited and updated quickly for last minute changes.  You can adapt it to fit most any situation and that makes for a fabulous traveling tool!  Add to those features, the ability to add gorgeous graphics, video and music, and you have created a powerhouse for presentation.  However, with all the excitement of what can be done with this type of presentation software, we must keep in mind what should be done with it.  With so much technology at our fingertips, it’s easy to get carried away by the bells and whistles.  We sometimes focus on adding the ‘whiz-bang’ factor and tend to stray away from the message we are actually trying to present. Recognizing these tendencies, coupled with the “I Want It Now” attention span of information-age students can make creating a presentation a daunting task.  But, I set about the task determined to make it work.

As I am not yet teaching, I had to be a little creative.  My daughter and her friends are in the 4^th grade and have become my weekend guinea pigs.  They are very excited to be included in a “College” class, so they willingly agreed to be my test subjects. (Not to mention they LOVE the fact that I have homework too!)  I created a PowerPoint presentation in my field using the Scientific Method as my subject.  In the presentation, I included slides on the method as a whole and then individual slides for each step of the method.  Beginning with “Make Observations”, I was able to include video on volcanic eruptions .The students viewed the video and then were asked to Make Observations.  With directed questioning, one of the topics that came up during their observations was why some volcanoes erupted more explosively than others.    Next, the students “Asked a Question” as the next step of the process.  They wanted to know WHY some volcanoes are more explosive than others.  Based on information in the slides about how volcanoes erupt, they can then “Form a Hypothesis” about this process.  In the presentation, they are following a group of scientists who have researched this and they get to view the testing process of the Scientific Method.  The slides show photographs of the testing process and data recorded from the experiments.  We paused during this portion to examine the results of the experiment.  The next slide asked them if the experiment supported the hypothesis or not.  They could then draw conclusions about their hypothesis and decide if further testing was needed. 

The great part of this presentation was that it enabled the students to view a real-life experiment.  In a typical classroom, you would not be able to view a volcanic explosion or see how to ‘create’ a volcanic explosion.  This video enabled them to be part of that process without being at the site or the lab.  While they were ‘guided’ in the type of experiments and testing, the students had the experience of what a scientist would do to form a hypothesis, test the theories and draw conclusions.  I was excited to see the ‘students’ use the notes from the PowerPoint as a guide and to see them making their own comments on them.  The notes allowed for the vocabulary of the lesson to be added in and used for future studying as well.  Overall, the students reacted very positively to the presentation.  What 4^th grader doesn’t like a good volcanic explosion?!  This presentation did open up a lot of discussion about volcanoes and how to test variables.  Overall, they got it!  It was a success.  In the future, I would probably break this unit up into more days.  It would be possible to present the Scientific Method as its own presentation, and then add a secondary presentation to “show” the Method.  It would provide a base of knowledge and then the secondary “cool” stuff would help to solidify their knowledge of the process.

Watching the kids enjoy the presentation and gather useful information was incredible!  My daughter informed me at the beginning that she knew a lot about the Scientific Method.  The great part was that after it was over she admitted she learned about HOW to do it!  Gotta’ love that!

Week 3: What I've Learned

Week 3 has proved to be very helpful in thinking about word processing and desktop publishing.  Now, for many of us, this may seem to be one in the same.  We can add a nifty graphic to our text document and feel that we have accomplished true desktop publishing.  However, there can be a lot more to it.  While word processing can allow you to create a document with edited text, grammatical corrections and minimal graphics, it does not tend to be a visual communication.  Desktop publishing helps you to create a visual display for your audience.  It displays ideas and combines text with graphics to produce documents. 

But there is one key element to remember.  Whether you are sending out documents for business or pleasure, to students or parents, there is a fundamental rule that must be followed.  PEOPLE MUST BE ABLE TO CLEARLY READ AND UNDERSTAND YOUR PURPOSE!  If they cannot decipher your intended message, you have failed.  While this may appear to be common knowledge, sometimes we need to be reminded of this simple task.  We often get excited by all the groovy colors and fonts and sometimes forget our primary goal:  communication.  In the past, I have used typed documents for distribution in class and as take-home documents.  With a busy schedule at home and at work, I want to get the information on paper and get it to the intended audience a.s.a.p.  However, this is doing a disservice to the students and parents.  With multiple pieces of paper going home on some days, there is an opportunity for information to get looked over and in some cases disregarded altogether.  In order to prevent that, it’s necessary to make documents stand out.  After reviewing documents that I send out and documents that I receive at my house, I decided to revise a weekly newsletter using the material we have reviewed this past week.

In general, the original newsletter was informative with only a banner graphic.  It was very text driven.  Some information had bold lettering, but other than that there was little differentiation in the text.  In order to make the newsletter more eye-catching and less text-based, I have used desktop publishing to make it a more effective document.  Instead of rows of text, I have made boxes with bold headings and given specific information in each box about that subject.  I have included a calendar to highlight the dates and week we are working in.  It gives the reader a quick look at the week ahead and any items of interest for that week.  The student’s daily agenda book will give details of assignments and upcoming events.  Therefore, there is no need to distract from the ‘big picture’ on this weekly newsletter by adding lots of details.  I’m very pleased with the changes to this document.  In a short amount of time, I was able to clean up a long overdue project and turn it into a clean, concise piece that gives the information in an upfront manner.  Thanks desktop publishing!

Week 2: What I've Learned

This week in EDOL 533 we were reviewing something a little less foreign to me.  After my first round of college was completed, I did not pursue a teaching degree.  Having lived with a teacher (my mom) most of my life, I had no desire to become one!  (Boy, how times change.)  Instead of pursuing a teaching degree as my Advisor and Senior Seminar instructor suggested, I went into business.  That’s right.  I was going to delve into the world of bottom-lines and profits.  Enter the spreadsheet and database discussion here!

I have worked with various forms of both spreadsheets and databases.  I have planned budgets for divisions of companies and spent many a night working Excel programs, trying to get the numbers where I needed them to be.  In addition, I have created and edited numerous spreadsheets for client contacts and tickler files.  I have snail mailed and emailed thousands of people for advertising.  However, during all of that time, it never entered my mind that I would be using those very programs to educate students.

Reading the assignments this week about spreadsheets and databases opened up a whole new line of thought about these types of programs.  Known as ‘productivity programs’, these tools can completely change the way educators go about many of their daily routines and lesson plans.  These tools not only use the technology that students will need to know for ‘real-world’ applications, but they enable the teacher to link multiple Standards to individual lesson plans.  For example, a lesson plan on Social Studies can be combined with technology and math, just be implementing the use of spreadsheets.  I see an incredible way to teach the subject matter while engaging students in a form of technology they will need for their future careers.  Understanding these types of programs early on can enable them to be job-ready and that is something I had not considered prior to this reading.  My initial thoughts were not as positive.  I am inclined to be conservative in that students should know how to do the work and not rely on technology to do it for them.  While I am still very adamant about that topic, I see the usefulness of

In my research of databases and spreadsheets, I came across a website that is in its 16^th year of on-line existence.  It’s called the Global Grocery List.  You can find this site at http://www.landmark-project.com/ggl/index.html.  The site is dedicated to helping students share local grocery prices to build a growing table of data to be used in social studies, science, health, mathematics, and other disciplines.  This site is an excellent example of being able to include your students in a global capacity.  Students from around the world can participate in this project.  It obviously enables them to see prices from around the world.  However, this project can be used to show students the impact location has on income, availability of items, and general costs of everyday items.  This list gives information that teachers can then use to expand into classroom discussions from food import/export to minimum wage to pricing and unit costs.  This project gives students a voice in a global economy.  Just the interaction with other students and the research they can input to the project makes it a viable tool for student engagement.

In my future science classroom, I see spreadsheets being used to collect and analyze data.  Beautiful graphs and data reports can be generated by students at the touch of a mouse!  The students will be able to design their data sheets and be able to see the results of their work automatically.  This will combine science with math and language arts and presentation as they produce reports on their experiments.

Until that day….a girl can dream!

What I've Learned....Week 1

It is the end of my first week in EDOL 533.  Our assignments have varied from You Tube videos on students and technology to standard text book discussion on the value of technology in education.  While all of these assignments have been very informative and a refresher of sorts in some cases, the information presented on Standards has been what has struck me the most about this week.

We all know these standards exist.  We are aware that committees are formed and discussions held on the topics that should be covered in classrooms.  However, after reading the Standards as they apply to teachers and technology, it reminded me of their importance.

In order to use these Standards effectively, I must reacquaint myself with each of them.  The 2008 NETS*T states that teachers should:  1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, 2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning and Experiences and Assessments, 3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning, 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility, and 5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.  First, let me say that all of these numbered Standards appear to be common knowledge.  Of course I want to inspire learning and creativity and to promote good citizenship and continue to grow my own education.  But while the Standards are something we want to adhere to, it is often a challenge to actually do them.  We all have good intentions.  Of course, we plan to think about incorporating the technology.  It may even cross our minds while we are out shopping and see an opportunity to incorporate some type of media into our classrooms.  But we all know where the Road Paved with Good Intentions leads.  In order to truly incorporate these Standards into daily and weekly planning, they must be in our line of vision at all times.  In order to remind myself, I will make a poster to put where I do my planning to help remind me.  In addition, while planning I will make it one of my steps of review.  As I review what I am planning for a unit, I will review my lists and see how my plan can incorporate the various Standards.  By taking this extra step of notating the Standard, I can reinforce my intention of using it and by doing so make that more a part of my lesson.  In addition, this repetition reinforces my knowledge of the Standards and will hopefully lead to that becoming a regular part of my plan.  This notation also reminds my administrators of my dedication to seeing that the Standards are remembered and used during my classes.  I don’t expect this to be a perfect system, but with concerted effort, I hope that this becomes a more functional piece of my daily routine.