What have I learned this quarter?

          I have learned a lot from this course! Technology in the classroom has taught me so much information. Before this class, I didn’t know about Google drive. I didn’t know that Google has so many components to it such as: Slides, Docs, etc. I really liked that fact that I could do similar presentations like a PowerPoint Presentation but on Google using the Slides function. I actually used Google Slides this week to do a presentation for my child development class. I also learned from this class how effective it is for me as a teacher to incorporate technology into my classroom. I learned from this course many different types of technology from my classmates Ed Tech Trend presentations. I didn’t know that robots are being used in classrooms, about smart tables, flipped classrooms, and assistive technology.

           I have learned from this course Technology in the classroom that the model TPACK is a good way to teach children in a fun and engaging way. I had never heard of TPACK before this class and I found it to be a very interesting concept. Also, from this class I learned how to make a video, my very own blog, voice thread and website. I enjoyed my Second Life experience and learned that technology is even being used to create a virtual world for people to communicate and make friends. I was able to start a twitter account in which I learned about so many people that are involved with children and technology. Overall, from this class has been a great experience for me and gained knowledge that I will use in my future endeavors as a teacher.

 Here are three live links for you all to check out:


http://www.tpack.org/

http://secondlife.com/

http://www.naeyc.org/content/technology-and-young-children

   

How does copyright law affect your use of technology in the classroom?

          A lot of teachers including myself are not familiar with copyright issues in the classroom. Teachers are using the internet a lot in the classroom. The internet is being used as another educational tool for their students. As a teacher, I need to know more information about copyright law and its implications for different activities with the internet. Copyright law affects the use of technology in the classroom. Teachers and students use the internet a lot in the classroom but they both have to be sure not do copyright infringement. There are certain activities that risk this copyright infringement. However, these concerns can definitely be addressed if teachers and students work together on gaining the right knowledge about copyright law with technology in the classroom. Teachers and students have access to this material which may be protected by the copyright law.

           As a teacher, I don't want me or my students downloading information from the internet that violates the copyright owner. It is very important that I come up with different strategies to prevent this from happening in my classroom. Some strategies that I can implement into the classroom would be to recognize the material online that can be freely used in accordance with the designated requirements. The school district should address possible liability concerns and help teachers and students in gaining a better understanding of copyright laws. Teachers’ educating themselves about copyright law is very beneficial for them and their students because it allows them to know what information over the internet they can use, how to use it, and if the information is legal.

Here are three live links related to this topic:

http://www.wtvi.com/teks/02_03_articles/copyright.html

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech121.shtml

http://www.slideshare.net/Mrs.Faust/teaching-ethical-and-legal-use-of-technology-in-the-classroom

What is media literacy and why is it important?

          Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in a variety of forms. Media literacy skills are also included in educational standards such as: language arts, social studies, science, health and other standards. Media literacy has become an important skill to have in the 21^st century. Students who are media literate will be able to better understand the complex messages they receive from the internet, video games, and all other forms of media. Media literacy has even been endorsed by the President, teachers, and different organizational groups. Many studies suggest that if students know about media literacy they will be less vulnerable to negative media in the world.

            Media literacy is important because it is essential for schools. Many young children are growing up with technology and media in their lives. Children that are very young up unto age eight are spending hours looking at a screen. A lot of children’s ideas and behavior are controlled by what they see and do on that screen which is a program created by an individual. Schools should include media literacy education for their children because it is an effective way to engage students in critical thinking skills for optimal learning. Media literacy can also protect students from the unhealthy aspects of it so they will have the knowledge to know right from wrong. Educators have to be trained greatly on media literacy as well so they can develop a comprehensive understanding of the impact of media literacy on a child’s learning. Teachers will be able to use their strategies to help families become more media literate so they can deal successfully with the media in their children’s lives. 

Here are three live links to this topic:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-levin/media-literacy-for-young-_b_4263888.html

http://medialiteracy.net/media-literacy/

http://medialiteracyproject.org/learn/media-literacy

Reflections on my "Second Life" Experience!

                The “Second Life” website describes it as, “a 3D world where everyone you see is real person and every place you visit is built by people just like me and you.” I think this statement is very true because “Second Life” is an extremely realistic virtual world. “Second Life” reminds me of a game I use to play called “The Sims.”  This game allowed me to make families and take care of children. I really enjoyed playing this game. I would stay on the computer for hours and hours playing this game.  “The Sims” was similar to “Second Life” because you could create yourself and build homes.

            My experience in “Second Life” has been fun and interesting. I was able to create myself into a digital avatar. My avatar was first as a woman. But, in “Second Life” you can change into an animal, car, or even a vampire. I have my own avatar “name” as well. I thought it was cool that in “Second Life” it gives you an opportunity to meet new people and explore different worlds. There are worlds in “Second Life” that are very beautiful, peaceful, and educational at the same time. “Second Life” allows a person to experience real life situations which is very cool and exciting. In “Second Life,” I was able to chat with my fellow classmates and explore different museums. I had a good experience in “Second Life” and I look forward to browsing it even more to get familiar with everything.

Here are three live links that relate to this topic:

http://secondlife.com/?gclid=CLWI97SN2bwCFecRMwodKlYAhQ

http://secondlife.com/whatis/?lang=en-US

http://secondlife.com/community/

What is the meaning of technology "affordances" and "constraints" in terms of education?

       The meaning of technology “affordances” is used to expresses properties of an environment which interaction with a user can enhance the learning of potential of an individual. Technology “affordances” are the ways in which technology offers or supports certain things in relation to teaching and learning. Technology used for education purposes must be based on a knowledgeable pedagogy with a strong attention to the course learning objectives, instructional strategies and assessment methods. Teachers have to be aware of the varied “affordances” of any technology that could be leveraged to support teaching and learning effectively. Some “affordances” of technology are information, automation, representation, and communication/collaboration with peers and experts. These “affordances” of technology can help the educator treat their technology for the classroom as a knowledge base related to their pedagogy.

            The meanings of technology “constraints” in terms of education are the things that limit the “affordances” and the properties of action associated with them. For example, time and access issues could be some technology "constraints" in education because the teachers have to set time aside to incorporate the technology into their lesson plan and curriculum activities to utilize technology effectively in the classroom. Another technology “constraint” is that teacher’s learning objectives must be clear and accept that the technology device could break down and fail. Also, some teachers may come across glitches in their technology being used in their classroom and can hold up the lecture. Technology can be a complex teaching tool but teachers must remain vigilant and set the appropriate tasks for students to maximize the benefits of using the technology tool.

I have included three live links in relationship to this topic:
 http://centres.smu.edu.sg/cte/innovative-development/affordance-of-technology/
 http://www.tel-thesaurus.net/wiki/index.php/Educational_affordance
 http://www.isteconference.org/2012/uploads/KEY_70232305/M_Taylor_ISTE2012_RP.pdf

 

   

How I would use the concept of flipped classrooms in my teaching?

            The concept of “Flipped Classrooms” is very interesting for teachers and students. It is when the traditional classroom is flipped into an interactive classroom for teachers and students. Many students sit in classrooms all day listening to a professor lecture about a subject matter. This can be very boring for a lot of students and sometimes they don’t even understand the lecture after it is over. But in the “Flipped Classrooms” concept the students are given videos of lectures by their professors that they can watch at home or somewhere where they can access a computer. The students are able to take their time while watching the lectures, really get a chance to understand the material, and are able to communicate with their peers and teachers via online discussions about the lectures. After the students watch the videos, the next day in the classroom they engage in activities with their teacher about the concepts in the videos.

            I would use the concept of “Flipped Classrooms” in my teaching by having my students watch learning videos from me at home and then when they get to class we can do the homework because they will have already mastered the concept from watching the videos. I will have the opportunity to spend more time with the students so they can ask me any questions about the content material. Also, I can use the concept of “Flipped Classrooms” in my teaching to do a lesson plan using TPACK on a video so the children can watch outside the classroom and when they come to class and complete the homework from the lesson.

Here are three live links that relate to this topic:

http://www.knewton.com/flipped-classroom/

http://www.flippedclassroom.com/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/flipping-classrooms-does-it-make-sense/2012/06/06/gJQAk50vJV_blog.html

 

 

 

What are some important best practices for technology in education?

Technology in the classroom is great way for teachers to make learning a fun task for their students. Teachers who use technology in their classroom are getting their students to use their cognitive and creative skills. Teachers that use technology in the classroom should connect it to their lesson plan and curriculum. Technology in the classroom has different practices in relationship to education.  Some best practices for using technology in the classroom that I found to be very interesting are alignment, accessibility, assessment, and reinforcement.

Technology in the classroom should be aligned with the learning objectives of the lesson. Technology can be seen as very nice and flashy for students. But, teachers need to make sure that the technology is being used for a purpose in order to enhance the students learning. The teacher needs to choose the technology that goes well with their educational goals as a teacher and the students. Teachers should make sure their technology tool being used in the classroom fits well with the major concepts of the subject matter.

Technology in the classroom needs to be accessible for all the students.  Some students may not have access to the technology of your choice. The teacher will have to take into consideration this when deciding on the technology tool. Most importantly, teachers need to be able to access the technology and know how to use it as well. Also, teachers have to provide their students with direction when dealing with technology being used in the classroom. Teachers should remind their students of their learning objectives throughout the lesson.

Lastly, teachers should always reinforce their teaching through their technology. Technology should always be integrated meaningfully into the curriculum and instruction. This can positively impact the students learning and achievement. It is just a matter of matching the most effective technology tool in the classroom. These practices are a great way to start using technology in the classroom.  

Here are three live links that are related to this topic:

http://www.sun-associates.com/tlresources.html

http://www.cidde.pitt.edu/ta-handbook/teaching-technology-1

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/6917

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is TPACK?

    

TPACK stands for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. It is a framework that uses three forms of knowledge together to promote a creative way of learning. It is a foundation for a teacher that gives them the data to incorporate technology into their classrooms. The three main parts of this framework are Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) and Technology Knowledge (TK).  The content involves what to teach and the subject matter. It also involves the teacher’s knowledge about the subject matter to be learned or taught. Pre-school children educational lesson plans will be different from middle school children’s lesson plan activities. The pedagogy involves how you teach, your methods and developmentally appropriate activities for your students. It also involves the teacher’s understanding of how students learn pre-student assessments, classroom management skills, and lesson planning. The technology involves what you use to make the learning activity meaningful and how to enhance the learning experience. The technology is also tools or resources that can bring out the lesson. Teacher should constantly update their knowledge about technology and how to use it productively in everyday life. Their knowledge of technology will be great to use in their classrooms because children love fun and interesting lesson plans that involve technology tools such as: computers and smart boards. All three components are used together to create a wonderful lesson plan. Teachers can use TPACK to help them choose the correct technology that supports their curriculum and teaching style that connects with their pedagogy and content material.      

Here I have included three live links that are related to this topic:

http://www.tpack.org/

http://tpackcases.org/

http://mkoehler.educ.msu.edu/tpack/what-is-tpack/

What I hope to get out of the course Technology in the Classroom!

I hope to gain more knowledge about technology from this course that I can use in the classroom with children. I’m going to become a teacher one day and technology is a very useful component that I can use in the classroom to help teach some of my lesson plans. A lot of young children today are growing up with technology in their lives. Technology is being used as a learning tool for children. As an early childhood educator, having the opportunity to learn more about technology would be very helpful for me and my students. In classrooms today, teachers use smart boards, computers, and iPads to communicate with their students. I actually saw this being done during my student teaching. One of the speech therapists came into the classroom to work with a child. She used her iPad to work with this child on different speech activities. The child really enjoyed using the iPad and being able to learn new information. These devices are helping children learn different subjects. These technology tools can be very difficult to use for many people. This class will give more insight into how to use technology in the classroom.

            I also hope to use the new knowledge from this course to become a more successful teacher. Teacher’s that use technology in the classroom are very well-rounded. I want to be that way as well. This course will give me the knowledge to be able to reach children on different levels. Children are always reading books in school. But, when children use technology in the classroom, it gives them something fun and educational to look forward to in school. I love to see the excitement on children faces when they can use the computer. Children love to see things moving on a screen and hearing a voice talking back to them on a technology device. I will be able to know how to use technology in the classroom and be able to answers my student’s questions as well. Overall, I will gain from this course hands on experience for using technology as an educator to shape my classroom in a unique way to help children succeed on every level.

Here I have included four live links as my resources:

http://www.usnews.com/education/technology-in-the-classroom

http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html

http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/using_technology.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/technology-in-the-classroom