"Establishing a Framework for Digital Images
in the School Curriculum" by Glen Bull and Ann Thompson
This article talked about the use of digital cameras in the classroom. In 2004, when this article was written, there was a breakthrough; more digital cameras were sold than film cameras. Now, not only could many more avenues in education be touched, but they could be affordable as well. The use of digital cameras could be used through a wide range of subjects and touch on many topics with a fresh outlook.
According to the article, there are four different frameworks for the use of digital images. The first is to acquire the images. There are many opportunities in which students can incorporate the use of digital cameras into their subject matter, for example taking pictures of certain trees to examine their species in a science class. The next framework is to analyze. Digital images are a great way to analyze a variety of things. For example, I did a project using digital images, about track homes compared to older neighborhoods. The fourth framework is to create. This is another area that the use of digital cameras would be great at addressing. Students would actually get a chance to discovery their own creativity and talents when designing a project for a class. The last framework is the communicate. Students can communicate with eachother working on projects, teachers could communicate with students at a much larger capacity.
Questions:
1.) Could this work for all schools, even those that might be underfunded?
Digital cameras are expensive and may not also be accessible to all school and all students, but it might be a good project to have for students as a special project. If there was only one camera for the entire class it could still work but students working collaboratively together.
2.) What if a student didn't feel comfortable using a camera?
There are so many different things that each individual student could do to contribute. Maybe one student is really good at taking the pictures an another is really good at editing them, and one is really good at organizing the project. I think all students would benefit from this.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Journal 8
"Virtual Ideology: Using Online Quizzes to Help Students Develop Personal Political Values"
by William Russell
This was a really interesting article about using different online quiz's and surveys in order to assist students discovery of their political views. As William Russel begins, many Social Studies teachers are frustrated because their students claim to be affiliated with one political party but have the views of a completely different party. This is in particular very frustrating to teachers because, as the standards state, students need to be able to answer certain questions pertaining to their own beliefs, such as: What is civic participation and how can I be involved?How has the meaning of citizenship evolved?What is the balance between rights and responsibilities? What is the role of the citizen in the community, in the nation, and in the world community? How can I make a positive difference? These quizzes are sponsored by non-profit organizations and offer explanations to views which the students hold. Another quiz asks the student a series of yes or no questions and at the end the student is scored. The student is not scored to a certain political party, but rather predicts which political philosophy the student inhabits (centrist, libertarian, left liberal, right conservative, etc.). I think this is a great way for students to learn about themselves without feeling pressure to abide by what others think.
Questions:
1.) Does this contribute to the categorization of students?
I don't think so at all. I think that is merely helps students realize what they think and why they think it. I think it promote individualized and critical thinking skills that are extremely valuable in life.
2.) Could this also be used as a platform on the importance of voting?
Absolutely! I am a strong advocate of voting and I feel like s a lot of people talk about how important it is but do not actually exercise their right to vote. When students actually understand issues and why they believe certain views, they might be more eager to get out there and stand up for what they believe in.
by William Russell
This was a really interesting article about using different online quiz's and surveys in order to assist students discovery of their political views. As William Russel begins, many Social Studies teachers are frustrated because their students claim to be affiliated with one political party but have the views of a completely different party. This is in particular very frustrating to teachers because, as the standards state, students need to be able to answer certain questions pertaining to their own beliefs, such as: What is civic participation and how can I be involved?How has the meaning of citizenship evolved?What is the balance between rights and responsibilities? What is the role of the citizen in the community, in the nation, and in the world community? How can I make a positive difference? These quizzes are sponsored by non-profit organizations and offer explanations to views which the students hold. Another quiz asks the student a series of yes or no questions and at the end the student is scored. The student is not scored to a certain political party, but rather predicts which political philosophy the student inhabits (centrist, libertarian, left liberal, right conservative, etc.). I think this is a great way for students to learn about themselves without feeling pressure to abide by what others think.
Questions:
1.) Does this contribute to the categorization of students?
I don't think so at all. I think that is merely helps students realize what they think and why they think it. I think it promote individualized and critical thinking skills that are extremely valuable in life.
2.) Could this also be used as a platform on the importance of voting?
Absolutely! I am a strong advocate of voting and I feel like s a lot of people talk about how important it is but do not actually exercise their right to vote. When students actually understand issues and why they believe certain views, they might be more eager to get out there and stand up for what they believe in.
Journal 7
"Coach, Nurture, or Nudge: How do you learn technology best?"
By Kimberley Ketterer
This was an interesting article about how educators are integrating technology into their classrooms. As Kimberley Ketterer explains, there are three different ways in which teachers are developing technological additions to their lessons in their classrooms. The first is called "The Coaching Style". With this style, the educator feels completely comfortable integrating technology as long as they have a coach to assist them. They are willing to take risks and work collaboratively with colleagues on lesson plans. The next style is called "The Nurturing Style". With this style, they need to have someone with them for all aspects of the creation and design of lesson plans. They have the will to integrate technology, but lack the confidence and need all the extra support that they can get. The last style is call "The Nudging Style". With this style, the educator is really stuck in their ways of teaching and needs to be nudged into learner technological advancements. They need to be pushed to learn why technology in the classroom is so important. This style probably pertains to older teachers that have been with the profession a while.
Questions:
1.) Which style will I be?
I think that I would fit into "The Nurturing Style". I really am excited to learn about technology and want to make it a big part of my classroom, but might need some support until I am more confident.
2.) Which style is the best?
I really think that everyone does things differently and learns differently, so I don't think that there is a right or wrong answer. Of course the use of technology is great in the classroom, and every educator does have his or her own comfort level. I just think that as long as you are willing to give it a try, you might learn to like the new ways of doing things.
By Kimberley Ketterer
This was an interesting article about how educators are integrating technology into their classrooms. As Kimberley Ketterer explains, there are three different ways in which teachers are developing technological additions to their lessons in their classrooms. The first is called "The Coaching Style". With this style, the educator feels completely comfortable integrating technology as long as they have a coach to assist them. They are willing to take risks and work collaboratively with colleagues on lesson plans. The next style is called "The Nurturing Style". With this style, they need to have someone with them for all aspects of the creation and design of lesson plans. They have the will to integrate technology, but lack the confidence and need all the extra support that they can get. The last style is call "The Nudging Style". With this style, the educator is really stuck in their ways of teaching and needs to be nudged into learner technological advancements. They need to be pushed to learn why technology in the classroom is so important. This style probably pertains to older teachers that have been with the profession a while.
Questions:
1.) Which style will I be?
I think that I would fit into "The Nurturing Style". I really am excited to learn about technology and want to make it a big part of my classroom, but might need some support until I am more confident.
2.) Which style is the best?
I really think that everyone does things differently and learns differently, so I don't think that there is a right or wrong answer. Of course the use of technology is great in the classroom, and every educator does have his or her own comfort level. I just think that as long as you are willing to give it a try, you might learn to like the new ways of doing things.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Journal 6
"Filming Compassion," by Janet Bremer and Marilyn Clark
I thought that this article was great and had many exciting ideas to get students involved in their communities. I was excited to hear that, according to National Center for Education
Statistics, 64% of all public schools have students participate in service learning. I think that is so great because volunteering with an organization not only benifits the organization, but is a great way for students to get involved and learn about giving back to their community. I really think that the more people to get involved with their communities, the better off everyone will be. It is also a good activity to get the more reserved students involved in. I was really shy growing up, and I think that the stronger sense of belonging and feeling of being a member or contributor to something, would make a difference in the students' own lives.
Questions:
1.) Is it safe to have students go alone to volunteer sites?
I think it is completely safe, especially because parents will most of the time be driving students. Also, most organizations treat their volunteers just like employee and do not want any unsafe practices occuring.
2.) How could younger students get involved?
There are many things that younger students could do to get involved. Although some oragnizations may not want the liability that comes along with young kids, there are always those that do and there are always volunteer activities,such as a beach clean up,that all ages can get involved with!
I thought that this article was great and had many exciting ideas to get students involved in their communities. I was excited to hear that, according to National Center for Education
Statistics, 64% of all public schools have students participate in service learning. I think that is so great because volunteering with an organization not only benifits the organization, but is a great way for students to get involved and learn about giving back to their community. I really think that the more people to get involved with their communities, the better off everyone will be. It is also a good activity to get the more reserved students involved in. I was really shy growing up, and I think that the stronger sense of belonging and feeling of being a member or contributor to something, would make a difference in the students' own lives.
Questions:
1.) Is it safe to have students go alone to volunteer sites?
I think it is completely safe, especially because parents will most of the time be driving students. Also, most organizations treat their volunteers just like employee and do not want any unsafe practices occuring.
2.) How could younger students get involved?
There are many things that younger students could do to get involved. Although some oragnizations may not want the liability that comes along with young kids, there are always those that do and there are always volunteer activities,such as a beach clean up,that all ages can get involved with!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Journal 4
"Moderating and Ethics for the Classroom Instructional Blog" by Patricia Deubel, Ph.D.
I thought that this was a great article and did a great job of introducing blogs in the classroom. Kids today really do know A LOT about computers and do an amazingly good job at understanding computer use. So many children today more or less live on the computer, why not create a class blog? Not only will kids be completing an assignment for a grade, but they will be working on their typing skills, they will be creating a sense of community with their classmates and teachers, and also having a finished product at the end. Class blogs would be a great project for students to work on and show to their parents at open house at the end of the school year. There is of course the issue of safety to our students. This is a very real topic today, but with the use of a protected blag space, it can be avoided. There is a huge responsibility of teachers to keep their students safe, so as long as the teacher understands how to protect students online, there is not a real problem.
Questions:
1.) How do you protect your blog spot?
There are services that do just that! Some examples, as stated in the article, are Class BlogMeister or Edublogs.org.
2.)How do you make sure that all kids get an equal chance?
The good thing about a blog is that every child gets an equal opportunity to express his/her opinion. In the classroom, some kids are shy and some are outgoing, but with a blog, all kids are equal.
I thought that this was a great article and did a great job of introducing blogs in the classroom. Kids today really do know A LOT about computers and do an amazingly good job at understanding computer use. So many children today more or less live on the computer, why not create a class blog? Not only will kids be completing an assignment for a grade, but they will be working on their typing skills, they will be creating a sense of community with their classmates and teachers, and also having a finished product at the end. Class blogs would be a great project for students to work on and show to their parents at open house at the end of the school year. There is of course the issue of safety to our students. This is a very real topic today, but with the use of a protected blag space, it can be avoided. There is a huge responsibility of teachers to keep their students safe, so as long as the teacher understands how to protect students online, there is not a real problem.
Questions:
1.) How do you protect your blog spot?
There are services that do just that! Some examples, as stated in the article, are Class BlogMeister or Edublogs.org.
2.)How do you make sure that all kids get an equal chance?
The good thing about a blog is that every child gets an equal opportunity to express his/her opinion. In the classroom, some kids are shy and some are outgoing, but with a blog, all kids are equal.
Journal 3
"Social Justice: Choice or Necessity?" by Colleen Swain and David Edyburn
I really think that using technology in the classroom, from a social justice standpoint, is really a bumpy issue. On one side, kids today really need to know and understand technology in order to succeed in real life like never before in history. Everything is online now, and so if kids don't know how to access computers and the Internet, they are really at a disadvantage. So from this point of view, it really is so beneficial to teach our students about technology so that they become comfortable using it in their day to day lives. On the other side, not every kid has access to computers and other technological devices. I remember as a high school students, not having a computer at my house, even 10-14 years ago, made a lot of homework and projects nearly impossible. I had to coordinate with friends who did have computers in order to complete my assignments. At least I was lucky enough to have some sort of access to computers, but some kids do not have any access to them and that puts them at a very big disadvantage to those do. The use of technology in the classroom is not an easy topic to address and, I believe, will be one that will need to be addressed in depth in the near future.
Questions:
!.) What if I assign a project that requires the use of computers, but not all students have access to one?
I think at the begging in school, just taking a few moments to assess which students do and do not have access to computers would be the first step. Once you know which students have access and which ones do not, you could heterogeneously pair students together, thus ensuring all students a computer to use.
2.) What do you do if a child really just doesn't understand how to use the computer?
Again, pairing students together is a great way for them to receive additional help. Not only is one student learning, the other student is teaching and they are working together.
I really think that using technology in the classroom, from a social justice standpoint, is really a bumpy issue. On one side, kids today really need to know and understand technology in order to succeed in real life like never before in history. Everything is online now, and so if kids don't know how to access computers and the Internet, they are really at a disadvantage. So from this point of view, it really is so beneficial to teach our students about technology so that they become comfortable using it in their day to day lives. On the other side, not every kid has access to computers and other technological devices. I remember as a high school students, not having a computer at my house, even 10-14 years ago, made a lot of homework and projects nearly impossible. I had to coordinate with friends who did have computers in order to complete my assignments. At least I was lucky enough to have some sort of access to computers, but some kids do not have any access to them and that puts them at a very big disadvantage to those do. The use of technology in the classroom is not an easy topic to address and, I believe, will be one that will need to be addressed in depth in the near future.
Questions:
!.) What if I assign a project that requires the use of computers, but not all students have access to one?
I think at the begging in school, just taking a few moments to assess which students do and do not have access to computers would be the first step. Once you know which students have access and which ones do not, you could heterogeneously pair students together, thus ensuring all students a computer to use.
2.) What do you do if a child really just doesn't understand how to use the computer?
Again, pairing students together is a great way for them to receive additional help. Not only is one student learning, the other student is teaching and they are working together.
Journal 2
"Real-Life Migrants on the MUVE: Stories of Virtual Transitions" by Ross A. Perkins and Cathy Arreguin
As a student in the Special Education Program, I am always thinking of activities to engage all learners, that is why I found this article to be so interesting. I had never heard of anything like this before and it really exciting me. All students do not learn the same. Some kids do learn by direct instruction, but there are so many more that do not. Some kids really do need hands activities to connect themselves with the material presented to them. I really can't think of a better way to get kins engaged on lessons that really do not interest them. The students can feel like they are playing a game and won't even realize how much they are learning. The authors even specifically talk about a classroom of students that had been labeled as severely learning disabled and the positive effects this type of learning had on their interest of the materials. I really feel that kids need to learn the way that is best for them, and this kind of technique realty does "appeal to a broad spectrum of learner intelligences".
Questions:
1.) What if some students do not respond to MUVE?
I think that maybe this isn't for all students and so if they do not respond to it, then they can have an alternative assignment. I do feel though, that MUVE may be a little hard to get into for some students, so I would encourage all my students to at least try.
2.) How would MUVE fit into the curriculum that needs to be taught?
Just like everything else, MUVE isn't something that could be used all the time by itself. Using MUVE for somethings, or for topics that may not be of interest to students would be a great way to use it in the classroom.
As a student in the Special Education Program, I am always thinking of activities to engage all learners, that is why I found this article to be so interesting. I had never heard of anything like this before and it really exciting me. All students do not learn the same. Some kids do learn by direct instruction, but there are so many more that do not. Some kids really do need hands activities to connect themselves with the material presented to them. I really can't think of a better way to get kins engaged on lessons that really do not interest them. The students can feel like they are playing a game and won't even realize how much they are learning. The authors even specifically talk about a classroom of students that had been labeled as severely learning disabled and the positive effects this type of learning had on their interest of the materials. I really feel that kids need to learn the way that is best for them, and this kind of technique realty does "appeal to a broad spectrum of learner intelligences".
Questions:
1.) What if some students do not respond to MUVE?
I think that maybe this isn't for all students and so if they do not respond to it, then they can have an alternative assignment. I do feel though, that MUVE may be a little hard to get into for some students, so I would encourage all my students to at least try.
2.) How would MUVE fit into the curriculum that needs to be taught?
Just like everything else, MUVE isn't something that could be used all the time by itself. Using MUVE for somethings, or for topics that may not be of interest to students would be a great way to use it in the classroom.
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