Friday, October 26, 2007
Technological World
I never realized how much of a necessity computer skills are. I have benefited greatly at work simply because I know my way around a computer. However, not everyone is as fortunate as I am. Some of the more veteran workers don't know how to work through the computer, or only know how to turn it on. Not only does this reflect poorly upon them personally, but this hurts the business as a whole. Everything is done on computers, we all know this, so every time this person sits down at the desk there is a waste of 8 hours. This in turn reflects negatively on the rest of the staff at that desk, because we spend extra time making up for the lack of work done during the wasted shifts. It's not that I'm trying to be self-righteous or rude, but I am now realizing how vital it is to know how to work a computer (and other forms of technology) in order to be successful in today's modern workplace. I almost feel bad, because these people love to work, but it is almost not even worth the money to pay them to be here or the money that would be spent trying to train them. It worries me because I think of what it will be like in the future, and I don't want to end up the way these people are now. I bet they never thought in their wildest dreams that life would end up the way it is now, and I'm only willing to bet that it is going to happen again.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Internet Issue for Students
I think the most prevalent issue for students on the internet is safety. It is getting easier and easier to throw your name and address into some website's offer to try and redeem some prize or take advantage of some offer. But who is reading this information? And where is it going? I'm sure that a lot of students don't really know either, they just want that free I-Phone. I obviously don't consider myself an expert on internet security, but you really just don't know who's out there and what their motives are. Also, there are always stories of some young girl who met some guy in a chat room and went to meet him and wound up missing and found dead. It's tragic! I think that the internet is the most life altering invention of this century, but that doesn't mean that it is perfect.
Oodles of Googles
This presentation gave teachers ideas for using free applications from google to let students use the web to create writing projects. It started out very basically, explaining to teacher how to use the internet and special features of their browser (i.e. bookmarks and web history). She had four categories: Investigation - research; Preparation - organization;Presentation - the product; and Summation - reflection / feedback / archiving.
We created google accounts and used the google notebook to save all of our research through basic google searches. Something new I learned was the google alerts. This alerts you when new information is added about your topic. All of this information could be shared too! Which is great for a group project.
Preparation used mainly notebook and docs/spreadsheets. You can send your notes directly into your notebook without re-typing!! Google docs is practically the same as a word processor, except that you can access it anywhere and it can be shared with anyone over the web.
Presentation lets you share your project in a totally new way. You have to subscribe to presentation app and page creator app to post your research. These applications also lets you share the construction of your project and at the end produces a URL to give to anyone who needs/wants to see the finished product. People can also comment or ask questions if you are giving a live presentation!! Page creator is extremely simple and each project can have it's own webpage! Once these are finished they are available immediately for viewing!
The final step is Summation. This is the reflection stage. Google groups is what the instructor suggests is the best. This is interesting because you can make the sessions public or private to just your students working on the project. In this app you can upload files, add links, see the members of the group, visit their profiles, send the members private messages, and discuss what ever you want.
We created google accounts and used the google notebook to save all of our research through basic google searches. Something new I learned was the google alerts. This alerts you when new information is added about your topic. All of this information could be shared too! Which is great for a group project.
Preparation used mainly notebook and docs/spreadsheets. You can send your notes directly into your notebook without re-typing!! Google docs is practically the same as a word processor, except that you can access it anywhere and it can be shared with anyone over the web.
Presentation lets you share your project in a totally new way. You have to subscribe to presentation app and page creator app to post your research. These applications also lets you share the construction of your project and at the end produces a URL to give to anyone who needs/wants to see the finished product. People can also comment or ask questions if you are giving a live presentation!! Page creator is extremely simple and each project can have it's own webpage! Once these are finished they are available immediately for viewing!
The final step is Summation. This is the reflection stage. Google groups is what the instructor suggests is the best. This is interesting because you can make the sessions public or private to just your students working on the project. In this app you can upload files, add links, see the members of the group, visit their profiles, send the members private messages, and discuss what ever you want.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Assignment # 3
I had a difficult time finding a lesson plan that incorporated both technology and social studies. I say find because I'm not in Instructional Design so I haven't had to prepare one. Anyway, I found one that I was interested in, and that includes just about as much technology as I experienced in every one of my social studies classes so far.
The amount of technology, like I said before, is limited at best. In every history class I've ever taken that amount of technology used in the lessons has been no more than watching a movie every once in awhile, using overheads, or power points. I think that is awful. Listening to a teacher lecture for a hour is hardly a way to explore the past.
Some ideas that I have to possibly improve upon this lesson plan could be to listening to Dr. King's speech or watching the video of the speech. I know that when I was growing up and learning about the Civil Rights Movement, we read the speech in class and weren't allowed to use the word "Negro." However, there is something different about watching the man who had the dream deliver his speech in front of thousands of cheering people and standing in front of the Washington Monument. Also, being able to listen to the actual speech makes the person who delivered it that much more real. For example, I listened to Robert Kennedy deliver a speech about Martin Luther King's death and it made him seem like a real person, because I had only seen his picture before.
Besides listening to speeches and watching their deliveries I pulled up the digital timeline and checked out some of the social events of the time. One of the first ones that I found was the Rosa Parks event and the first sit-in.
Some of the technology needed to incorporate this technology into the lesson would be at least one computer, projector, speakers, internet connection, and maybe a SMARTboard. Ideally, each student could have their own personal computer and each explore a different video or audio clip. However, if that is not possible the teacher can find one he/she deems the most important and play it on the classroom computer and project it onto the screen. It would be most interactive and intriguing to use a SMARTboard while viewing the Digital Timeline. The best part about these technological implements is there are flexible. If there are not enough computers for each student than only one is needed. If there is not wireless internet than only one LAN line is needed. Also, none of these ideas require software or licensing.
I guess some possible challenges to all of this technology could be a loss of internet connection or computer to speaker to video connection problems. Eventually, these websites might be removed or they might remove their video or their audio files. To overcome these problems, the teacher should have a basic knowledge of troubleshooting (i.e. technological problem solving). It isn't feasible for a teacher to be fluent in the language of technology but to have a basic understanding is a must. As for the removal of websites or website aspects, there is always something new on the internet.
The NETS (for 8th grade proficiency) which are satisfied by this lesson are 1a except for part 5, because the lesson did not focus on the changes in technology over time and their effect on business. I believe that 1b was covered, because of all the different file formats used to access the different media, and they would be exposed to some problems because there is almost always problems with classroom technology. NET 2 could be satisfied if the teacher took time to discuss all of the related topics. However, that would be better suited for a one time occasion, most likely at the beginning of the year and not during each lesson. NET 3 could definitely be incorporated into the lesson and be satisfied. However, the lesson plan would have to go one step further and assign a project to do. I think that students could take what they've learned from the Civil Rights Activists and fight for something that they strongly believe in that is happening in the world today (there are still a lot of oppressed people groups in the world today). They could make blogs and podcasts or anything they wanted to really. NET 4 would go along perfectly with the assignment I thought for NET 3. They could use all of these forms of media and technology to get their message out there to the public. NET 5 I think most students would have already satisfied just by using the internet at home, except 5b which is not satisfied in this lesson plan. NET 6 is definitely satisfied in this lesson plan, because there are multiple forms of technology with is going to be used and displayed for the students.
The amount of technology, like I said before, is limited at best. In every history class I've ever taken that amount of technology used in the lessons has been no more than watching a movie every once in awhile, using overheads, or power points. I think that is awful. Listening to a teacher lecture for a hour is hardly a way to explore the past.
Some ideas that I have to possibly improve upon this lesson plan could be to listening to Dr. King's speech or watching the video of the speech. I know that when I was growing up and learning about the Civil Rights Movement, we read the speech in class and weren't allowed to use the word "Negro." However, there is something different about watching the man who had the dream deliver his speech in front of thousands of cheering people and standing in front of the Washington Monument. Also, being able to listen to the actual speech makes the person who delivered it that much more real. For example, I listened to Robert Kennedy deliver a speech about Martin Luther King's death and it made him seem like a real person, because I had only seen his picture before.
Besides listening to speeches and watching their deliveries I pulled up the digital timeline and checked out some of the social events of the time. One of the first ones that I found was the Rosa Parks event and the first sit-in.
Some of the technology needed to incorporate this technology into the lesson would be at least one computer, projector, speakers, internet connection, and maybe a SMARTboard. Ideally, each student could have their own personal computer and each explore a different video or audio clip. However, if that is not possible the teacher can find one he/she deems the most important and play it on the classroom computer and project it onto the screen. It would be most interactive and intriguing to use a SMARTboard while viewing the Digital Timeline. The best part about these technological implements is there are flexible. If there are not enough computers for each student than only one is needed. If there is not wireless internet than only one LAN line is needed. Also, none of these ideas require software or licensing.
I guess some possible challenges to all of this technology could be a loss of internet connection or computer to speaker to video connection problems. Eventually, these websites might be removed or they might remove their video or their audio files. To overcome these problems, the teacher should have a basic knowledge of troubleshooting (i.e. technological problem solving). It isn't feasible for a teacher to be fluent in the language of technology but to have a basic understanding is a must. As for the removal of websites or website aspects, there is always something new on the internet.
The NETS (for 8th grade proficiency) which are satisfied by this lesson are 1a except for part 5, because the lesson did not focus on the changes in technology over time and their effect on business. I believe that 1b was covered, because of all the different file formats used to access the different media, and they would be exposed to some problems because there is almost always problems with classroom technology. NET 2 could be satisfied if the teacher took time to discuss all of the related topics. However, that would be better suited for a one time occasion, most likely at the beginning of the year and not during each lesson. NET 3 could definitely be incorporated into the lesson and be satisfied. However, the lesson plan would have to go one step further and assign a project to do. I think that students could take what they've learned from the Civil Rights Activists and fight for something that they strongly believe in that is happening in the world today (there are still a lot of oppressed people groups in the world today). They could make blogs and podcasts or anything they wanted to really. NET 4 would go along perfectly with the assignment I thought for NET 3. They could use all of these forms of media and technology to get their message out there to the public. NET 5 I think most students would have already satisfied just by using the internet at home, except 5b which is not satisfied in this lesson plan. NET 6 is definitely satisfied in this lesson plan, because there are multiple forms of technology with is going to be used and displayed for the students.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
