Reflection: Webquest 3

What?
After working out a few glitches we were finally able to finish our digital story and I am pretty happy with the result. I am a little amazed at all the cool stuff you can create using a program as simple as PhotoStory. After seeing our video with all the pictures, music, and narration added together I see the power that adding these three to a lesson can have.
So What?
What this really means to me is that we can use technology such as PhotoStory in order to apply the principles that I have been learning about in educational phsycology. That is multiple intelligences, attention getting techniques, discovery learning etc. I am optimistic about my future in teaching and I hope to use all the resources that are available to me in order to give my students the best experience that I am able too.
Now What?
Now, as I have basically said in many posts before, I will continue to learn about and practice using the technologies, particularly the free ones, that are available to me. I can see now how to apply everyday things such as Youtube that students are more likely to use. I have already created my own channel and I plan to have a few things on there that I can show to potential employers as well as videos I can use in my future classes.

Video Reflection: Millennial Generation

This video reiterates everything we've been learning throughout the entire semester, that is that the youth today, those we will be teaching, are a generation brought up with technology. This not only influences the way they live and think, but also the ideas and hopes they have for technology in the future. I can't help but laugh hearing these kids talk about how they have to be the technology tutors for their parents, because I have had to do the same thing with mine growing up. I guess this idea makes me lean towards the idea that if you can't beat them you should join them. I see no reason why I can't use the media that kids are familiar with to teach them the things that I love. The only obstacle I can see now is having that technology available at whatever school I have the pleasure of teaching at. So I can only hope for the best, and do all I can to assure that students are prepared not only with what I have to teach them, but in this ever growing technological world we live in.

Reflection:Digital Stories 2

What?
This week I was unable to come to class because I was sick. I spent the time that I would have been in class reviewing the articles and tutorials provided on the class website, as well as playing with the program PhotoStory. This is a program my wife has used in the pass to create picture presentations of friends and family. I had never taken the time to explore and play with this program, but now that I have I can say that I agree with Doc Waters on just how easy the learning curve is for this program. In minutes I was able to create a presentation with pictures, titles, music and narration; and all this before even looking at the tutorials. PhotoStory offers a very user-friendly (not to mention) free way to create digital stories for teachers.
So What?
What this means is that when I become a teacher I can use this program to make digital stories and too my relief I now know that I can do it quickly. This program will be very useful for teaching about culture and will allow me to display some of the pictures I have taken in Spanish speaking countries, which is pretty cool if you ask me.
Now What?
Now I need to keep updated and make sure I have the latest version of this program. I also plan on reviewing my pictures, and searching out pictures online that I could use in future presentations for culture, vocabulary, or whatever else I decide to teach. This class has really opened my eyes to the many free resources out there that can make teaching more fun for the students and easier for the teacher. For a guy who was barely comfortable creating a PowerPoint presentation I have come a long way and hope to use the skills I have acquired to go even further.

Video Reflection: Did You Know 3.0

Now that I know about digital stories I can see that this, along with the original version of "Did You Know" are just that. While they don't have audio narration this presentation is chalk full of information and it is accompanied by music and work imagery. The way the text was presented is more creative and dynamic than that of the original. As far as new information, I know that there were facts from more recent years, buy I do remember some of those same facts being presented in the original, such as the idea that we as educators are preparing students for jobs that do not exist. I feel that this version, just as the original, does well at getting its point across that we are living in rapidly growing world. This growth can be seen not only in population but in the technology and knowledge that exists today. To me it serves as yet another reminder of how important it is to be familiar with technology and use it as much as possible in the classroom.

Video Reflection and Educational Video

I am discovering that You tube is full of, not only lots of time wasting entertaining videos, but also videos that will be very useful for me as a Spanish teacher. The video that I have posted here, for example shows a free resource that I can suggest to students for further practice listening to and identifying vocabulary. (in this case vocabulary about vegetables.) I particularly like the style of this video because it gives a visual image of the word and object described and also gives the correct pronunciation. It also provides students with a practice at the end where the picture is presented and they are to identify the word in Spanish. This is just an example of the simple, yet useful videos that can be found on sites like YouTube.

2 New Technologies

One objective that I have always considered important in a Spanish language class is the ability to practice the language with other people, particularly native Spanish speakers. While it is important that students understand and have a basic grasp of things such as vocabulary and grammar, the real purpose of learning a language is to speak it. This fact seems obvious, but too often opportunities to communicate with others are severely lacking in the language classroom. This has motivated me to explore a social networking called LiveMocha. This site is unique because it was specifically designed for language learners. LiveMocha offers various languages from English to Korean. Members on the sight can learn from free tutorials that are offered on the site that are designed for the beginning and intermediate language learner. The really great thing about this site is the interaction you can have with native speakers of the target language. Through the site you can chat, both using text and speaking out loud using the microphone. You can also submit completed exercises to be reviewed by native speakers of the language you are learning. In a recent Technology Review exercise (produced by MIT) the creator and chief executive of LiveMocha, Shirish Nadkarni, explained that he created this site because he knew from personal experience the benefits of knowing a foreign language, which in his case was English. He was also motivated after seeing the lack of real practice his kids were getting in their Spanish class, a concern I mentioned earlier. In a review found in the New York Times, live mocha is described as a "community of like-minded learners who can leverage their native language proficiency to help one another."
This site would be a great way for the students in my class to be able to communicate with native Spanish speakers, specifically in a place where the language is the central focus. (as opposed to another Spanish chat room or interest site.) Students could have the assignment of letting a Native speaker review a written assignment, or they could practice introductions in a web-chat.
One negative aspect that I could see to using this in the classroom is the possibility of coming across objectionable language or even pictures (although the pictures on this site are limited to profile pics.) This is always a danger when dealing with real people. As with any social networking site there is the potential risk of contact with those who may present offensive comments or pose other dangers. This could be prevented by setting up clear guidelines that point out that students are not to reveal personal information. I might also screen the people that students have contact with based on those I have found to be reputable in the past.
Based on the experience that I have had with this site I do feel it is a great way to have contact and communicate with native speakers, when live interaction is not possible or practical. Not only this but it has the potential to get students more excited about language learning, and more motivated to continue practicing the language each day.

articles
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/business/17novel.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=livemocha&st=cse

http://www.technologyreview.com/biztech/19484/


Due to favorable conditions (i.e. being married to a teacher) I had the opportunity to work with a Smart Board for a little while. I had heard a lot about these interactive whiteboards and even seen them in the education building and in my wife's classroom, but until this week I had never used one. I was skeptical about them before and did not really see how they could be much better than a projector, or a whiteboard, but after using one I am beginning to see how it could be useful particularly in a Spanish class. The ability to "write" over virtually any program would make grammar practices and lessons more interesting and interactive for the students. Not to mention there are specific programs that allow you to create review activities, games, note taking, and subject matter exploration. For example in an article put out by scholastic a geography teacher describes being able to use interactive maps and things like Google Earth to help the students learn.
Another appeal to the Smart Board is that it excites students. I saw this first hand in my wives classroom as two girls came in and immediately started playing with the Smart board while they waited for their mother. The appeal of technology motivates students to participate in activities much more than if that same exercise was simply done on the board. I would use this appeal to have students demonstrate fill in the blank vocabulary or verb conjugation exercises.
Some downsides to the Smart board that I saw is set up time. It took about ten minutes to get the computer, projector and Smart board set up and in sync, time that could be used doing something more productive. Supposedly this is not an issue on the new 600i system but I wasn't able to find out exactly why that is. Another con (particularly for someone who is left-handed like me is that it is hard to see the board as you are writing on it. (your shadow covers the projection) I also believe some improvements could be made that could cut cost and create less parts that could be lost (such as the electronic pens and eraser)
Another benefit pointed out in a technology blog is that the Smart board allows teachers to save notes and presentations where on a regular board those would have to be erased before the next class. This would be useful in picking up where you left off in the previous class period. These are just a few of the benefits and uses of the Smart Board that I have come across ed, but I imagine that there is much more that can be done with them so long as they are available through school funding, grants etc.

Articles
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3749226

http://edublogs.org/tags/?t=review

Video Reflection: Top Ten List

I'm not completely sure, but I don't think that was an actual David Letterman top ten list. (I could be wrong though.) This video was fun and for the most part, funny (I thought the top 3 were a little lame.) I think it is true that there are certain things that you just don't, and can't learn about teaching in college. As I am still in college I don't yet know what all those things are, but having been married to a teacher for two years, having both parents as teachers and four siblings who teach I am not completely unfamiliar with the things I have waiting for me. Looking at this video from a technology perspective, I can see the fun you can have using videos like this.

Digital Camera Reflection

What?
This week we spent time taking pictures and manipulating those pictures on Picasa, a program by Google. The picture taking was nothing to me, I don't consider myself to be a professional photographer by any means but I do know the basic operations of a camera. Picasa on the other hand was new to me. I had often seen this program but never really bothered to use it. After using it and doing some basic photo operations I can see that it is a valuable tool for something that is free. (I do still prefer Photoshop.)
So What?
This assignment has been one of the more fun assignments for me (don't get me wrong, that UEN one was pretty thrilling too!) What I have really learned or at least re-learned is that when preparing material for class why not have fun using tools such as these. Chances are if you are having fun making them, the students might have a little more fun than they would if you were doing something you both hate to do. I think I could easily put a digital camera to use for presentations, vocabulary assignments and digital comic books.
Now What?
Now I plan to spend a little more time playing around with Picasa as there are still some things that confuse me on that program. I am also considering investing in a better camera, that would be useful not just in the classroom, but in the other hobbies I have as well. I do plan on using a digital camera in class, and I am even considering assignments that allow students to do so as well.

Altered Photos

Original Photos

My Beliefs

If you had asked me three months ago what my beliefs were as far as education in the classroom go, I might have told you that I believed they were a necessary evil. I am proud to say my opinion has changed a little over the past few months. After learning all I have about the many technological resources (most of which are free) that are available I wonder now why I did not make more of an effort in the past to familiarize myself with them. Perhaps that is because I have never been taught using these resources (at least not too much) and so I believed that it was not to be done that way. I believe that using technology in lessons, activities and assignments has many benefits and it allows kids to learn in ways that would not be possible without them. I believe as I have stated before that it would be good for teachers to, not only use technology, but to teach kids how to use it as they do research and learn.
While I would now consider myself a proponent of technology in the classroom, I don't believe that it can replace a good teacher (at least I hope not, after all I do hope to make a living teaching.) I also do not believe that technology can supplement poor teaching either (after all bad teaching with a PowerPoint is still bad teaching.) I do believe however that the use of technology can enhance good teaching and provide students with an additional way to learn and understand the material and so much as funding permits, teachers should implement technology as much as they can in the classroom and out.

Lessons Learned

After typing this entire post and loosing it due to a bad connection, the post on technology this time around may be a little more negative (don't ask me what happened to the autosave feature) So once again I will try to convey some of the things that I learned from this assignment. One thing that was very interesting to me, that was demonstrated in the video titled "Milenial Generation" is that kids have some very big ideas when it comes to how technology is used. We seem to live in a world where ideas become reality, so I am interested to see what the future will hold. Another thing this video reminded me of is the technological gap that exists between parents and adults. While I feel I am currently on the younger end of that gap, I am aware that I will need to make an effort to remain there. Relating to this topic, One thing I found to be interesting was the concern dealing with the negative effects of the 3 w's. While I always thought that wherever, whatever, whenever was a positive thing, I was shown that it can have detrimental consequences if kids are left with the mentality that they should have things they want right now with little effort on their part. The w's can be kept in check with the 3 r's; real, rich and relevant. Teachers play a big role in assuring that these r's are put into play in the learning process, because ignoring technology is not the answer, but there are ways that educators can assure that it is used correctly.
Another thing that was brought to my attention is the way technology has a way of making things that have been around forever obsalete. An example of this found in the video is the yearbook. Yearbooks are becoming less popular due to things like social networking sites. It makes sense if you think about it. Why would someone want to pay money for some pictures and a few signitures or messages when they could get all this, and much more for free. This Idea makes me wonder what other time tested objects or methods may become obselete in my lifetime. This makes me want to stay on top of the technology wave, especially as a teacher, so I am not left wondering what happened when familiar things are gone.

Strengths and Weaknesses

After evaluating the NET standards and taking the UNI survey I feel as though it would be a lot easier to list my weaknesses than my strengths. According to the UNI survey I am not above a Practitioner in any category, due to my failure to create authentic learning activities dealing with each category. While I do not yet qualify for the practitioner or expert categories there are areas that I feel I excel in along with areas that could use work. The areas I do well in include the use of the world wide web to access information and analyze authority, accuracy etc. In my experience I feel I am fairly good at navigating the web and using the right methods to assure that I am finding valid and useful materials. Another area I have done well in is the use of multi-media software. Thanks to a previous class I took at BYU I have compiled an array of multimedia presentations that include slides, pictures, sound clips and video. I plan to use these as a teacher. There are as I have stated quite a few areas that I could improve in and would like to improve in. These areas include things like troubleshooting, while I am able to fix basic problems I think I could improve in my knowledge of fixing problems that arise in technology. Another area I would like to do better in is my knowledge of equity, ethics and legal issues concerning computer use. I think this is especially important to know what I can and cant use in the classroom and how to give credit when credit is due. Another thing I would like to learn to use better are spreadsheets, as of now I don't even know how to do simple addition using a spreadsheet.
The main goal that I have in dealing with technology in the classroom lies not only in the use of every technological resource available, but in making it a point to show students both how to use technology and how useful it can be in my content area. As a language instructor, I plan to use presentations in my class that include sound clips, videos and images so that the material is presented in as many ways possible. I will also show students how to use the Internet to find reliable information about the Spanish Language and Culture. To do this, I have the personal goal of becoming more Internet savvy, and to help students with troubleshooting when necessary.
Having knowledge of programs like Excel could help me in many areas.
I have found an online tutorial that I plan to use to learn the art of spreadsheet use. This tutorial can be found at www.usd.edu/trio/tut/excel/. From what I've seen so far this tutorial includes everything from simple explanations of columns and rows to how to do more complex equations using Microsoft excel. I have also found a tutorial on creating a database (http://geekgirls.com/menu_databases.htm), something I know very little about. By learning more about what a database is, how it is used, and how to create one, I can come up with another important tool that can be used by my students.

Video Reflection: The Connected Classroom

After watching this video one idea comes to mind: if I haven't caught on by now that using technology in the classroom is important than I haven't been paying attention to these videos at all. This video seemed to carry the same message as the videos "Did You Know" and "Pay Attention." Their message: as teachers we need to do things in a way that is different than has ever been done. This means taking advantage of the ever growing resources that are out there. I completely agree with this idea and I do feel that it is the best way to prepare students for a competitive world marketplace. The only obstacle I can see that would impede this idea is funding. While it is easy to say how useful computers, ipods or even cellphones can be in the classroom, you can't ignore the fact that these things can be expensive. Even if all but one of the kids in the class has their own cellphone you cannot create an assignment that depends on a technology that one kid doesn't have. I believe that this is one of the major obstacles that keeps classrooms looking more like those black and white photos from the video. There are measures that teachers can take such as soliciting grants that would allow them to buy the technologies, and so I suppose that a truly motivated educator will do all they can to assure that their students have the best there is to offer. To be honest I'm not sure where I am going with this idea, I guess the best solution would be to instill this idea in a much greater scope than just educators so that they can get the support they need from administrators, law makers and the community to help make these ideas a reality.

Weekly Reflection: Powerpoint continued

What?
In finishing up the assignment that we did in our pods last week something that I learned about a while ago was brought to my attention again. That is the ability to store documents online. So far we have learned of two places (at least) that this can be done, both on our UEN page and on Google sites. I would have to say I like the format of the Google sites file cabinet better than that of UEN, but I believe they are both very useful.
So What?
The reason I am bringing this up, even though we learned about it a while ago is that it hit me this week just how useful this will be when I am a teacher. I think my favorite part about this feature is that allows me to keep all my stuff in one place. I really like being able to consolidate things like assignments and in this case, they will be available online to both me and the students if I choose to do so. By doing this I wont have to worry about where to have students find paper documents like worksheets and study guides and electronic media such as videos and PowerPoint presentations.
Now What?
The only thing I can think to do now is practice using these online storage areas. I also think it would be good now to plan how exactly I plan to use and organize them. As I continue to learn how to create more and more things such as Webquests and online stories etc. I will make them available on my classroom website. That way I will be able to quickly find them when I need them and I can access them nearly anywhere without having to worry about flash drives or Cd's. This class has really been helpful in showing me features such as these that have saved me the time and worry that come with having to transfer documents from place to place or when I need to print them at school.

Video Reflection: Spanish Love Song

The video that I have chosen this week is one that applies to my content area. The official title of the video is the "One Semester of Spanish Spanish Love Song." It is basically a comedy bit in which a guy with a very limited Spanish vocabulary tries to win over a Spanish speaking girl. The results are hilarious. I believe that this video is valuable because it shows how technology, content, and humor can be used. I plan on using this video, possibly as an introduction to the course to show the students that although learning a language can be difficult, one can have fun with it. I could also use this video as an assignment in which the students could look for mistakes. If these video reflections have taught me anything it is that I should start looking for, and compiling videos that apply to what I will be teaching now so that I will have them at my disposal when the time comes to use them. (And if you haven't seen this video yet I highly recommend it.

Weekly Reflection: PowerPoint

What?
In this weeks shortened class session (and thanks for that by the way,) we learned in our groups, just a few of the things that can be done with Microsoft PowerPoint. Although I would consider myself to be somewhat familiar with PowerPoint, I have to admit, the two activities that we did showed me that there is more to this program than just doing simple presentations. For example we made flashcards (which can be very handy in a Spanish class), and made a comic strip (which could also be useful.)
So What?
What this means to me is that I should look at PowerPoint as more than a presentation tool. Judging by the few things that I have learned how to do, I would bet there are a lot more things that this program can be used for that would be useful for my content area. (did I mention it is Spanish?) This has also made me think that there are probably other programs out there for which I believed there was only one use, when really there could be endless possibilities for these programs.
Now What?
Now I need to find out some more ways that PowerPoint, and other programs can be used. I can do this by consulting the manual as well as looking online and of course asking professors and classmates. Once I find out some of these uses I can begin to apply my own core curriculum and think of the different ways each function could be used.

Video Reflection: How not to use powerpoint

This weeks video was definitely the most fun video we have watched so far, mainly because the mistakes pointed out are ones that most of us have probably seen in our lifetimes. For example, putting everything you are going to say on the slide. I think this is a mistake that is especially made by students when they are doing presentations. That may be because they are nervous, but it makes sense that if all you are going to do is read the slide word for word then you are not really needed. (unless you are giving the presentation to a group that cannot read, but if that is the case then you should probably just use pictures anyway). The rest of the things pointed out have a lot to do with distractions in the powerpoint. These can be things such as bright colors, unnecessary animations and even spelling errors. There may be times when students have a hard enough time paying attention, so why should we further promote that? Just to sum it all up, I enjoyed the video and it did remind me of some important things to take into consideration when using powerpoint.

Reflection: Webquest Conclusion

What?
It is a little harder for me to come up with a bunch of new things that I have learned this week, but I have realized some things about webquests as we have been working on them. For example, I came to realize that when you come up with a webquest it is a good idea to really look at every step and exactly what you want the outcome of the webquest to be. It is also important to find out if the information you want your students to find is out there before designing a webquest around it.
So What?
The "so what?" that I draw from this is that it probably works better to design a webquest around what you would like the students to accomplish and not the other way around. This means that you should not plan something just so it fits in well to the webquest format but rather you should adjust the webquest in a way that the benefits for the students are as high as you can get them.
Now What?
Now, or better said, in the very near future I will look at the things I would like my students to know. (and not just core curriculum items but other desirable skills and qualities as well.) And design my webquests so that they make the learning process fun and out of the ordinary. I am coming to believe more and more that it is crucial to teach using a variety of activities and teaching methods, for various reasons. The webquest is just another way I can help students learn in a way that is more hands on and hopefully fun than simple lecturing and for that I am glad to be learning about them.

Video Reflection: Do You Believe in Me?

The words of the young Dalton Sherman seemed to be powerful and motivating to those in the audience, to me they didn't inspire anything new inside me. That is not to say that I don't think this presentation was effective. In fact I can see no better way of getting the message that educators need to believe in their students than by having a student tell them that. The video didn't impact me greatly because that is something I already believed in. In my life (young as I may be considered) I have seen all sorts of teachers with different philosophies and teaching styles. One type of teacher I could never understand are those that do not even seem to like the students nor what they are teaching. Basically they (and there are very very few that come to mind) don't like the kids nor do the believe in them as Mr. Sherman put it. I don't know how a person can believe they can help someone do anything particularly learn and become anything when they do not care about that person. I could go on, but I think I have gotten my point across that I do agree with the message in this video, that teachers need to care about and believe in their students because sometimes, as Dalton Sherman put it, a teacher may be the only person a student has.

Weekly Reflection: Webquest 1

What?
In class we learned about something that is relatively new to me; the webquest. Although I have had the opportunity to complete a couple of webquests (Thanks to Dr. Cox and Doc Waters) I didn't really understand their purpose or value. Upon learning about the various necessary elements of the webquest, I now see how they are set up and why which I will discuss in the:
So what?
I webquest is a valuable, I believe, because it not only allows students to do an assignment with a little more Independence, but it also teaches them how to use technology to do projects and research. In this rapidly expanding world if a person is not familiar with technology they can quickly be left behind. I know that to be true because anytime I have neglected to learn how to use an available technology I have had to spend time catching up, time that could have been used for more worth wile things. I also like the idea of a webquest because while each one uses a similar format, the final projects can vary greatly. In other words it gives students both familiarity and variety all at the same time.
Now what?
First off I will complete my portion of the group webquest, and take note of any strengths or weaknesses in the finished product for future reference. I would also like to prepare some webquests ahead of time (as in some time before I am teaching the material) when I become a teacher and have a better understanding of the core standards. I realize that time and resources may not allow me to use every kind of technology or new idea that comes my way, but I whether or not I use them all I think knowing about them will allow me to sort out the ones that will best help my students and work with my teaching style.

Video Reflection: Three Steps

After finding the actual video (and realizing it was not about a lynyrd skynyrd song) I watched it and was reminded of a few of the other videos we have been assigned to watched in this class, such as "Pay Attention." However, this video was different in the way it presented suggestions in a more organized and numerical order, rather that a random collection of good ideas. The common theme I am noticing here and in the other video's is that teachers, especially future teachers, cannot do things the same way they were done ten years ago. The amount of technology and knowledge that exists in the world today wont allow it. "3 Steps" even went as far to say that the traditional classroom setup and the "talking teacher" need to be done away with. I agree with most of the points made in the video, primarily because I believe it goes right along with my content area, which is language. I believe that language learning is all about creativity which fits in to the advice in step 1 to have a creative classroom. I also believe language learning requires interaction; or if you would like: cooperation, collaboration and competition with others. And if this can be done say on a global level, with those who speak the language you are learning, the benefits will be great. So to sum up my overall feelings about the video, I agree with the points made, and while it didn't necessarily present anything new to me, I did like the way these ideas were consolidated into 3 steps.

Reflection: Internet Safety

I have always considered myself to be a proponent of using the Internet in education. In the not too distant past the reason for that may have been that I considered using the Internet to be a lot easier than trying to find the information in a book or, heaven forbid, actually ask a teacher. But now my reasons for being in favor of using the Internet in education are a little different (don't get me wrong I still really enjoy the convenience.) One reason is the vast amount of information from all over the world that exists online. I don't think any library on earth could compare to that amount. Also, we are living in a technology- dependant world, and as educators it is our responsibility to teach students how to use that technology in an academic setting. While the Internet can be extremely useful in doing research and learning, it is important to really evaluate the source. It is the teachers responsibility to evaluate sites their students will be using to assure students do not come across anything false, crude, or dangerous.
This activity has urged me to ask myself certain questions about the sites I am getting my information from. A good place to start is looking at the author of the site or material. Is the author listed? What are their credentials? Is their contact information listed? As for the content itself I will have to ask myself questions such as; Does it seem highly opinionated or subjective? Does it contain information I know to be wrong? Is the information cited (with more than links to other websites? These are just a few of the many questions that can be helpful when evaluating a website.
In addition to evaluating the site and running it through a series of questions, it is important to assure that students are kept safe while surfing the Internet. One way to do this is by supervising students while they are surfing in class/at school. This will assure they are where they should be. Another way to assure safer surfing is to use scholastic databases and search engines. That way students wont be lead to websites that contain bad or salacious material. It is also important to include the parents and make them aware of how the Internet is used in class and the sites that will be used. Finally, teaching kids about Internet safety and the questions they should ask themselves will help them in making decisions online. By taking these measures we create a safer more reliable environment online for our students.

Video Reflection: We Didn't Start the Fire

"We didn't Start the Fire" is a Billy Joel song I was introduced to my junior year of high school. My American history teacher played this song for us then gave us the assignment of writing an additional verse about the decade of the 90s. (This song was written in 89.) Since then, I have thought back to that experience every time I hear that song. This video has added a visual aspect to the song for me and caused me to think about this principle dealing with education. Our culture is a conglomeration of dates, objects, people and emotions. The things illustrated in this song, extend not only to a history class but can be used to show students just how many things can happen in a short period of time, especially if you consider this song only mentions a small portion of what went on from 1950 to 1990. The other principle I draw from this video has to do with the video itself. Here a teacher, took the time to track down images, organize them and synchronize them. In doing this, he provided students and educators an audio-visual example of how much goes on in our world. This also has me thinking of what kind of videos or presentations I could create that would hold students attention, and teach important facts and principles.

UEN and Pioneer

What?
In class we learned about the UEN website. (Which stands for Utah Education Network, if I remember correctly.) This was a website I had heard about from family members who work in education, including my wife, who told me her school is going to have all the teachers use the UEN websites. I learned that UEN provides a personal and public page to each teacher. The theater metaphor helped me understand the value of a set-up like this. We also learned how to set up the website and some of the uses of each function.
So What?
UEN provides yet another tool that teachers can use to get organized and allow parents and students to be on the same page. As I mentioned above, they will soon implement the use of the UEN website at the school my wife teaches at. They are doing this so that teachers can put their assignments online, thus eliminating the need for students to come and get an assignment they've lost. This is only one of the many ways UEN and pioneer can be used, there is still much I have to learn about these tools which leads me to the...
Now What?
Now it is up to me to learn more about these sites which I plan to start doing through the assignment given in class. (I've been out of town the last few days.) I would like to learn how to set up my personal page better and how to quickly transfer the information from there to my public page (or staging area.) I would also like to learn how the Pioneer website can help me find teaching material, lesson plans, curriculum standards etc. So that I have these tools at my disposal now and when I become a teacher.

Video Reflection: Did you know?

This video was similar to "Pay Attention," the video we watched last week. Like last weeks video, "Did you know?" provided some pretty amazing, yet not entirely surprising facts. For example I learned that 1 out of 8 couples married in 2006 met online. This just shows the power the worldwide web has in affecting every aspect of our lives. Another fact that really stuck out to me was that there are now five times as many words in the English language as there were in Shakespeare's times. That seems pretty amazing if you consider how massive a vocabulary existed back then. All these points are addressed to convey the idea that we live in exponential times, and if this trend continues I can only imagine where we will be in ten or twenty years. This impacts me as a prospective educator, and helps me realize the importance of doing the best I can to prepare the leaders of tomorrow in any way I can. By teaching I am, as the video said preparing children to fulfill jobs that have not yet been created and solve problems that do not exist. That seems like a pretty important task to me.

Video Reflection: Pay Attention

"Pay attention to our children's intensely rich education experiences." I would say that sentence sums up the message this video was trying to get across. Children and adolescents are constantly plugged into electronic media, it is how they relax, socialize, communicate and have fun. The message that I get from this video is that if they are using electronic media for all this and more why not take advantage of it and make it a part of their learning as well. This is a concept that is not completely foreign to me, but I must admit there were some ideas listed that I would have never even considered. One example of this is using cell phones in class for an assignment. I would think this would be against many school policies yet I can see, especially as a potential language teacher, the positive response you could get from an activity such as this. It makes sense to allow children to learn through the media they use every day, rather than trying to force it down their throats in a way that is uninteresting and where the value of the information does not seem evident. I would agree that this is definitely one position where "if you cannot beat them you should join them" and I think this dependency on technology will only increase in the future.

Google sites

What?
In class we learned the basics of Google sites. This was a relatively new experience for me as I have never created a website before. Once again google has provided an easy way to create a website that is free and can be accessed by anyone I desire. I learned that you can embed a lot of different materials including You Tube videos and google gadgets, both of which can be useful for a teacher. I also Learned how to create pages with different functions such as calenders, announcements, and homework schedules.
So what?
Learning how to navigate and create google sites has shown me how easy it can be to create a website that can be used by my future students. I like the idea of having one location that parents and students can go to to find out everything that is going on in every class that I teach along with any other programs I may be in charge of. I think this would help eliminate confusion and unnecessary back and forth correspondence when parents/students are only seeking basic information like dates and deadlines. A website also seems to be a great place to be creative and have fun with the subject matter.
Now what?
Now the trick is to familiarize myself with google sites and continue to discover any other features the site may have. I would also like to have a website that I could show to future prospective employers that would illustrate how I plan on delivering information to parents and students. I think this would be valuable even if the school already has a website set up for that purpose (as many do) as it would show that I am familiar with the concept and am able to maneuver around the territory. I also plan to combine this with the technologies and resources I have learned about and will continue to learn about.

Video Reflection: Mr. Duey Raps

This video was definitely interesting to say the least. As to whether or not I think an approach such as this would be effective or not, well it worked on me. Thanks to this very nontraditional approach I now remember how to do things with fractions that I haven't used since high school. Plus I can't seem to get the song out of my head. (if that's not effective teaching I don't know what is.) Mr. Duey's use of technology (website, video) along with some very interesting rap music provides students with a way of learning that is more entertaining than standard classroom lecturing and easier to retain. This video has reminded me about the importance of "teaching outside the box" (which is ironic if you consider the fact that his teaching is done inside a video box) and implementing the technologies that we have to do so.
I'll teach you everything you need to know about fractions...

September 6, 2009

Everything Google

What?
Class time was spent exploring some valuable resources I didn't even know I had at my disposal. Or at least if I did, I had know idea the programs offered by Google could be used in such a way in an academic setting. I learned that in the program Google Docs several people can work on a single document at the same time. I also learned about iGoogle and how it can be useful for a future teacher. I learned that Google Calender is more than a personal calender and can be inserted into a website so that others can use it. I also found that Google Presentations is very similar to Microsoft PowerPoint, a program I have used on many occasions.
So what?
I think it would be best to go through the programs one by one and explain how why they are more useful than I thought or knew about. Google docs is a program I wish I had known about years ago (I don't know how long it has existed so perhaps it would be better to say I wish I had known about it earlier on.) I believe Google Docs will make group work a whole lot easier for the rest of my college career and it will be a good program to allow students to use when I am a teacher. The program iGoogle has already proven to be useful as it has allowed me to consolidate all the google programs I use, along with news, bookmarks, etc. into one page. This will help me with organization and keeping on task. Google calender will be a great way to keep myself the students and parents all on the same page. It is something I would definitely implement onto a class website. The other programs offered by Google such as Google presentations are great because the offer the ability to create documents the same way Microsoft Office does but they can be accessed with greater ease from different locations. (And best of all they are free!)
Now what?
So now the trick will be to take advantage of these programs, not just when I am a teacher, but right now. That way I will be used to them and will be able to teach kids how to use them the way I have been taught. Another benefit to staying on top of technologies such as those offered by Google is being aware of updates and improvements in the programs. I hope to use programs such as these and others in all areas of teaching and I feel it will allow my future students to be more aware of and involved in what is going on in my class.

My Ideal Classroom

My ideal classroom would be an environment that fosters understanding and respect for the Spanish speaking people and cultures as well as for each individual in the class. I believe that Spanish, like any language, gives the speaker the power to create and therefore I would set up the classroom in a way that would help promote creativity. On the walls you would find posters of important figures, buildings, and sights from various Spanish speaking cultures. I would also make it a point to label in Spanish the various common objects in the room (clocks, garbage cans, desks) in Spanish to help students increase their vocabulary. The seating arrangement would have students sitting in tables, this would allow them to practice speaking Spanish in groups or in pairs.
The attitude I would hope for from everyone (teacher, students and parents) would be one of respect; respect for one another and for the things we will be learning about. I would expect students to show respect by staying on task and not talking out of turn. I would show respect to students and parents by listening to them, trying to see their point of view, and doing my best to answer any questions they may have. I would expect the parents of the students to respect my grading procedures and the rules I set at the beginning. If they have a problem with the way I am doing something I would expect them to come talk to me about it to see if we could work something out. I believe that a foreign language environment is a great place for students to learn about new cultures and people and would expect them to approach the things we learn about without the ethnocentrism's that too often exist when we learn about something new.
One of the most important teaching techniques I would apply in a Spanish class would be the use of the language as often as possible. From day one I would make it a point to speak Spanish to the students and use signs actions and visual aides to help with understanding. I would expect students to use Spanish as much as possible as well. In order to reach different learning styles I would use a variety of activities, games and assignments that could appeal to each student. I would employ technologies such as videos and music that would demonstrate the language spoken by native Spanish speakers as well as the cultural highlights they contain. I would like to have a projector in the classroom so that I could use slides, PowerPoint presentations and websites in teaching material and for other games or discussion activities.
As far as content, I feel that the students will need to learn the language in a way that allows them to begin speaking in basic phrases and sentences almost immediately, then as they learn these we will point out the specifics of pronunciation and grammar. Along with language it is important that the students learn about the different cultures and peoples of the Spanish speaking world as previously mentioned.
One of my main goals for the students is that they feel comfortable speaking Spanish both in and out of the classroom, without the fear of making mistakes. I would also like them to learn more about the world around them and recognize that there are many cultures outside their own with much to offer.