Journal #4: Finding Students Who Learn with Media NETS III & V

Bull, G. (2010). Finding students who learn through media. L&L, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25255&DirectListComboInd=D

 This article presents student-created media that offers significant opportunities for engagement and learning. For the past five years, they have explored ways to incorporate Web-based authoring tools into the classroom curriculum. Through online tools, students are provided with access to primary source documents on websites that can be used for classes such as History, Art, English, and Science. Through PrimaryAccess.org, students can create their own authored videos with a plethora of sources through this cite. The article states that, "in a pilot study, teachers using PrimaryAccess Storyboard were able to incorporate it into their classes with no additional class time. Students using this tool performed as well on the teacher-designed examinations as those who wrote traditional essays as their class assignments." This article gives the conclusion that, "it is possible to increase student engagement by incorporating student-authored media into a formal classroom setting without increasing the amount of class time required to complete the projects. These conditions include tools designed for teaching combined with lessons designed to take advantage of these tools. However, even under these conditions, teachers may wish to employ differentiation strategies."

How would I integrate this tool into my classroom? I would use this program for one or two specific assignments, this technology states that it does not take outside class time to complete projects, however if there are multiple subjects that need to be taught, this element fills up most the time. However, this activity does look like it would energize students and give them a creative outlet to learn.
What assignments would you assign with the use of this program? I would create a vocabulary video that students were assigned a list of vocab words that they would have to incorporate and use properly in their script. Then the groups would film the videos creatively and in an appropriate setting which would be played in class the day teh assignment is due.

Journal #3: Keeping the Peace NETS III & V

Livingston, M . (2010). Keeping the peace. L&L, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3720092010/FebruaryNo5/L_L_February_2010.htm

According to author Michael Bugeja, from the New York Times, "the baby boomers seem to see technology as information and communication. Their offspring and the emerging generation seem to see the same devices as entertainment and socializing." This is true since todays youth communicate over text messaging rather than calling the person. This article disscusses the pros adn cons of using laptops in a classroom. Some state that a student should have the freedom to explore and learn. Others however felt blindedsighted by laptop use in the classroom and had no say in the matter. One school banned iChat from the schools' laptops, however, "the situation turned into an issue of freedom of speech. But from the school's perspective, the academic purpose of the laptops had disappeared into a vortex of social networking, especially when it was occurring during the school day." I believe that the majority of students have computers at home and have cell phones and the knowledge of how to use them. There is no need for individual laptops in the classroom on a daily basis. Students can learn just fine with a pen and paper. The school has a bootcamp every year to orient incomming students on the proper way to use the computers and the acceptable-use policies.

Would I use laptops in my classroom if the oppertunity was available? I would not use laptops in my class on a daily basis. I plan on becoming an English teacher, therefore reading, grammar, and writing can all be done on a piece of paper. I do not believe that just because the technology is available as readily as it is, schools need to encompass their curriculum around it.
Do laptops in the classroom create more harm than good? I do believe there is a time and place where computers are purposeful and benificial to students. However, to a youth, communters are seen as a socializing device. With textmessaging in class, there will now be new programs developed to allow students to communicate even if major IM cites have been blocked.

Journal #2: Using Podcasts to Develop a Global Perspective NETS III & V

Maguth, B, & Elliot, J. (2010). Using Podcasts to develop a global perspective. L&L, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfmSection=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25244&DirectListComboInd=D
        
Teachers are responsible for making students aware of global challenges and also teaching them about cultural diversity. It is very important that students learn to understand, respect, and even collaborate with culturally diverse global populations in efforts to find solutions to these challenges. For example, the article talks about a technology, engineering, and math high school in Columbus, Ohio, that is using digital technologies such as podcasting to engage students in learning about other cultures. Podcasting not only allows students the opportunity to interact with digital technologies. Having a real audience through the Internet motivates students and encourages them to appreciate culturally diverse perspectives. This technology involves a lot of planning, researching, and writing even before students use the podcasting software. This creates an ongoing projec tin the classroom, everyone can be involved with. In Ohio, students worked together to come up with questions and predicted responses from the "invited" panelists. The actors drew on their research to develop a response in line with the views of their assigned personalities. In doing so, students were put in a position to discuss multiple views on an important global issue.

How would I intergrate podcasts into the classroom? This idea of using podcasts to connect with other countires outside the USA is a great tool to learn about Cultural Diversity. Through the internet, a community of school to connect and as a "penpal" project have disscussions with other classrooms across the globe.
Which grade level would be best suited for this kind of activity? I feel that to get the most out of the Podcasts, and lesson learned, middle schoolers would receive the most out of this activity. Their ability to research, learn the software, and understand culture diversity is great at this age.

Social Bookmarking (Delicious) NETS I, V

 
1.) National Archives: This exhibit reveals eyewitness accounts of historical moments in history through newspapers, letters, and diaries. For example there is an excerpt from  Dr. Robert King Stone, President Lincoln’s family physician, accounting his assassination. This is valuable for a classroom because it allows students to discover primary sources that are interesting to them and learn about historical events through the eyes of historical figures. This eliminates the boring reading through textbooks. 


2.)National Education Association: The student groups which experience achievement gaps are racial and ethnic minorities, english language learners, students with disabilities, and students from low-income families. "Becoming a Culturally Competent Educator"-
                1.Gather and organize resource materials related to culturally diverse groups for use by school staff. This fits my teaching style because I can easily organize resource materials related to culturally diverse groups by finding helpful websites movies, and books and gathering them in one place online or organizing movies and books in a specific section of the school library.
               2.Network with parent, family, minority community, and faith-based organizations concerned with the needs of diverse students. Solicit their involvement and input in the design and implementation of initiatives for culturally, linguistically, racially, and ethnically diverse groups. Using emails, or telephone numbers to organize a cultural fair and include all involving organizations to create a booth and presentation to present at an assembly for kids to listen to then walk around and view the booths at a more in-depth level 
              3.Network with other schools that are developing and implementing culturally competent systems. Adapt the processes and information that are consistent with your school's needs and interests. Through email, or phone I would be able to connect schools together and create a community and integrated school district that as a whole can develop and implement important cultural competent interests. 


3.)Cyber Bullying:6-10 Points: Cyber Risky
 Chances are I haven’t done anything terrible and am guilty of cussing or logging on to a friends account to snoop, just for fun. Now I realize they are all offenses. As a teacher, I will try to be more away of text messages and IM-ing in the classroom. Hopefully teaching students to not reply to unknown senders will eliminate viruses from spreading. It is important to educate students about cyberbullying and the harmful effects because internet technology has become a part of our daily lives. Explaining that the best way to stop it is to ignore it. I will teach my students how to respond to and when to ignore bullying. With technology entering the classrooms, it is important to be aware of the effects. Keeping an eye out for suspicious IM's will keep only the acceptable technology in use. 


4.)Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators: 
    This cite gives many links to all areas of education from mathematics to music. Neatly organized, this cite gives many links for students such as, homework help and Crayola Crayon Official Site. On the PE & Nutrition link, the website includes website links to the FDA, Health Lesson for Kids How to Use the Nutrition Facts Labels. These sites are very informative and great for the classroom to use when teaching health. The Assignments & Rubrics section under Teacher's Helpers is a great source for new teachers to access rubrics for class assignments for example, a "science experiment lab rubric" or a "powerpoint rubric". New teachers can easily access the rubrics, lesson plans, or sample assignments for their use in the classroom. Everything a teacher needs can be accessed through this site. 


5.)Multiple Intellignce:
My top three intelligences include, Intrapersonal (88%), Verbal-Linguistic (83%), and Interpersonal (63%). I watched the video Multiple Intelligences Thrive in Smartville. This video looks into Enota Multiple Intelligence School, where students are engaged in activities to stimulate their different intelligences. For example, they play shuffleboard math games. Multiple Intelligences are alive in this school, but also it is clear that authentic engagement from the students is alive here. Every students is being challenged through their individual strengths.


6.) Teaching Tolerance:
Grade: 1-2, Language Arts, Lesson on Kindness
I would use this assignment to teach kindness and respect to others. First I would read the class, Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, a book teaching respect, love for one another, and acceptance. Second, I would have students pick a name out of a hat, making sure no one gets their name. They would then be this persons "secret admirer". First, you couldn't tell anyone whose name you picked – not even your best friend. Second, you didn't have to buy things for that person, but you could leave nice notes or do nice things for them without them knowing it was you. Third, you could try to trick your person by being especially nice to other people, too. And finally, we would reveal ourselves on Friday. our Friday morning Community Circle only a handful of students guessed their admirer. Then we went around the circle revealing who our secret friend was. Although Bobby was the biggest beneficiary of this exercise in kindness, all students learned a lesson in tolerance.


7.) Multicultural Awareness Quiz:
What portion of the U.S. Government budget goes to welfare and Social Security?
ans: less than 1% to welfare and 20% to Security. This answer surprised me because I believe a country is only as strong as its weakest member. I feel that our country needs to create a program to enable welfare people to be able to support themselves.
What percentage of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender high school students report that their teachers “never” or “rarely” respond to homophobic remarks made by other students, according to a national study by GLSEN?


ans: 84.5%. This answer maddens me because if a racial comment was make I believe a majority of teachers would respond to this. Comments about sexual orientation are very important issues to repromand. It is every teachers' duty to respond to any comment of hate or prejudice.

8.) Netiquette: My grade was a 60%. I did not know a lot of the answers to the questions, making me realize there might be things that I send, write on the internet that are not appropriate. This is important to teach students because they are in constant use with computers and if technology is going to be implemented in the classroom then appropriate ettiquette must take place. It is important to teach them the proper way to use technology even if they have grown up using it.