From Toys to tools

Journal 10

The article speaks on how many teachers believe that cell phones are a distraction in the class room and is nothing more than a toy, but the author of the article suggest that the cell phone that students have are not toys but tools. The Cellphones may be used as information tools to post blogs on the internet. A student can text his message to blog site and have the information there when he gets home, you can do this on blogger.com and or Blogzy.com There is also another version which I personally think is much cooler. That is called an audioblog or podcast. It allows you to speak into your phone as if you where talking and whatever you say will be on you audioblog space. That’s pretty cool!

1.) Are these tools really liable?
I would think that the text messagin would be a little harder to get the hang of mainly because you can text a lot of information to your blog space unless you are a real master at text messaging. The better bet would be the audioblog. You can speak faster and retain a lo more information when you are not busy looking for numbers or letters.

2.) As a teacher will you really let students use there cellphones for this?
TO be honest I really wouldn’t let my students use it unless I decided beofre class that we would use our cell phones for such a project. I just believe that things would get out of hand and out of control.

Adventures in Electronic Constructivism

Journal 9

This article gives you examples on how to do old research which is good and bring it into the new world. To really summaraize this. The teachers want to challenge the students to go out and explore their work. They want them to take their research and try new things with it. They want them to ask questions and grow as leaders in a team setting.
Then it gave an example of two presidents name George and compared and contrast their policies and their standings in politics. This was also done with three women in history, seeing how each changed the world we live in.

1.) Would these make good projects for your students?

YES, I think these projects would show kids a good respect for new and old. It would give them an oppurtunity to show what they know about the present and the past. Throw in some creativeness from each student and you have a great oral presentation from each student. I can see it now!

2.) What is the con of having your student turn in a normal written paper?
If I where to ask a student to give me a 3 page research paper on George Washington I would get a paper with no real meaning or reason and the student would leave with nothing.

Google Educational Portal

Journal 8

This article speaks about how as teachers we will break down the barriers of information and show students a different way to learn to empower their own knowledge. It gives us and shows us examples of such tools to help students. Such tools as Blogging, sketch up, and visual 3ds it also goes into detail of how google is a good source for teachers.

The four types

1.) Sketch up
sketch up is a really cool tool it allows you to build your own house or construct your own buildings. It gives you real geometry and shows you dropcast shadows to see how your work is going. It provides a fun exciting way to learn a interesting trait. It can show kids if they want to be contractors. There are also a lot of pictures already drawn where a kid can just add to save time on drawing a picture from scratch

2.) Google maps
This was kind of cool I was messing around with it for a little bit. Google map gives a map of San Diego and you can click and scroll in and out and fine exact locations. It’s pretty cool I found CSUSM and other cool areas.

3.) Google earth
Google earth is pretty cool it is like google map, but you have a visual. You can actually see a persons car parked in front of their house if you look at precise coordinates. Kind of creepy in a way, but really awesome it is a great tool for showing kids geographic locations.

4.) Blogger
Blogger is a great tool for students. It is an area where they can express themselves freely and share their thoughts and opinions to each other. It is a good tool so teachers, students, and parents can connect with each other and see what everything is up to.

Webquests in WonderLand

Journal 7

Pine crest school was a school on the rise. It had hired Paul A as the 8th grade English teacher. That following year they named him the computer teacher. He was to teach the students comprehension in computer competency such as Microsoft word, excel, and power point. The fear that came was from the faculty not the students. Most of the faculty where comfortable with their way of teaching and didn’t want to change. The other reason being that some teachers didn’t have the skills to use the new technology so what the teachers needed to do was to learn the new computer material.

1.) How can we benefit from technology as teachers?

As teachers we need to realize that we are in a crossroads with technology and the tools we use with teaching. We need to lose the overheads and chalkboards and get with the program. Not to say eliminate old school teaching styles, but an older generation of teachers may not want to come into the new century and use computers and most likely than not that will no benefit him or her. I think it is important that we are all competent and capable on computers, but more importantly technology. I remember in High school I got a award ( a small one) for fixing the tv and vcr in our class. It wasn’t broken it just wasn’t programmed correctly.

2.) Should we enforce a computer class in High school?

As I said before students are the future we as future teachers are the now the students are the future. They will learn and learn the technology and will be competent I think it would be wise to teach this in school because it will give them the tools they need for the future. I could only imagine how far back a student would fall if he didn’t have basic computer skills

Wikipedia: Ban It or Boost It?

Journal 6

Wikipedia which is regarded as an excellent research site falls short of actually legitimate research. I didn’t know until reading this that Wikipedia is not a valid source or scholarly information. Even though a lot of the information on wikipedia is very valid and legitimate. The truth of the matter is that anyone can write on anything and publish there writing. Meaning a high school student may write something on what he believes and that source will be up on wikipedia. Who knows if the source is valid, but it’s up there and it is available for anyone to see his information.

1.) How is Wikipedia good?

In one case you can use wikipedia as a great starter. Wikipedia has information on everything from almost every subject. You can get a starting point on the information you want and get different resources to find other legitamite sites that are more scholarly. After you compare the too you can use the right information you need.

2.) How will I teach my students to use wikipedia right.

I guess I would inform them on how wikipedia is not a real valid source. That even though it provides you with a lot of information it is not scholarly, and with that risk comes the risk of plagiarism. A risk they do not want to learn the wrong way.

Using an Electronic Portfolio in an Instructional Technology Program

Journal 3
The electronic portfolio is a to show students the work that they have done and upload it electronically there are many things you can organize in an electronic portfolio. You organize music, videos, files, and documents. The pros and benefits of having and electronic portfolo is that you have memor storage, long shelf life, you increase your technology skills and you have easy accessibility. A great website where you can have an electronicportfolio is a website called taskstream. It allows you upload all your files and organized them to your liking.

1.) What is SIG Access

This is were a proffessional computing personal serves the interest of application with disabilities. It deals with solvingrevelant technological disability problems.

2.) What is SIG APL

The APL is a programming language that can develop an application of the AP language. The language can exchange ideas and techniques.

Is Power point crippling our students?

Journal 4

The article is speaking about how power point is changing the way we learn in the classroom. Some teachers are for it and some are not which is pretty much the simple way of looking at it. They break each other down though. Some believe that power point is taking over and not allowing for one on one interaction with each other (teacher and students). One teacher even compared it to watching Television with captions. The MTV generations is so visual and influence with colors and pretty lights that power point is a beauty for this generation. What make me laugh is I thought of this one episode of the simpsons. It is probably season 6 or 7 it is where lisa looks into the Future and sees here wedding day. In the episode Principal skinner goes to talk to Lisa’s old 2nd grade teacher Ms. Hoover and tells them they are invited to the wedding. In the classroom you see an oversized classroom and Ms. Hoover sitting in the corner while Troy Mclure is on the tv teaching the class it’s pretty funny I wonder if that is what this teacher was saying?

1.) the pros of power point

Well the pros of using a power point are that it is a great visual for students. It is not necesseraly a bad tool where kids just see the board and don’t listen. The power point itself has to be presented by the teacher which gives the students a teacher student relationship. The powerpoint is also clear and readable. Some teachers have very sloppy hand writing and sometimes you struggle to see there notes. I think power point is part of the future of teaching mostlikely will not go away.

2.) what is the cons of using power point?

Well I guess the cons can be is that it is too easy. It is spoon feeding the children the information they need. I know that in college some power point presentations are greeted with a head down or a no need to show up I will get the power points later.g

Failure is not an OPTION

Journal 2

This article is about the achievement gap and how each student fairs. The article tries to justify its claim by saying that the low scores are a result in race, ethnicity, poverty, disability, and non-english speakers. The article goes into how we need to use different strategies for each student rather than give everyone the same test. If we keep doing the same test with the same type of kids in the same environment than nothing is going to change everything will stay the same. The achievement gap will not move most likely resulting in lower scores.

1.) What can we do?
The first thing is to stop teaching for the test. In our society in school we are so focused on getting that A or passing the state achievement test or getting that grant for the school that we have lost the will and passion for the actual learning for students. What we do now is teach them how to repeat the answers we want them to say, not record the information they want to keep as students. Just in my personal experience it is all about getting that A and passing that test rather than retaining exciting and interesting information.

2.) As a teacher what will I do?
As a teacher I have always believed in being creative with my students. I always wanted to be a little artsy and have the kids show me their interest and skills. There might be situations where one kid might shine in one are and not another. I want my kids to excel in all areas and show me each and every one of their strengths. I believe this is how we get the gap closed.

Myspace or Yours?

Journal 1

The article is talking about social networking. The main points being here that of myspace and facebook. It mentions the first phenom being friendster which targeted the demographic of 25-35 year olds. The problem with Friendster is that it got old fast. So people moved over to Myspace and Facebook. Myspace which was created for musicians in 2003 was clearly the user friendly choice for social networking. Myspace is now pushing almost over 90 million users. Myspace might be a great are to network with others but the risk might be more than the benefits. Myspace is a free base account website that lets you upload your pictures and your profile about yourself. This might be great if you know other people on line or have other friends who are on myspace and want to share pictures and see each others site. The problem with this is the fact that anyone can have a myspace. Even though it is for 16 year old and up you can choose the age and birth date to your user. In all honesty I could be a 17 year old in high school and no one would ever know the difference I could post blogs about High school and dances and a high school girl and look at this and be amazed all time not knowing that I am actually 25. The risk is there with myspace. Facebook is a little different. With face book you have the security of actually being in school. Users who sign in with facebook need a school email to sign in which means that not any ordinary old Joe can register with facebook. Which eliminates the possibility of a 40 year old creep saying he is 18, facebook is a great social networking site, but in all honesty nothing is really 100% safe.

1.) how has myspace effect my life?

I have a myspace and facebook account and it is really fun at times I do have sincere pictures of myself and friends just having a good time. Not pictures which are incriminating or have no self respect. I use myspace as a place to see old friends and check my messages, but I have realized that some students do lie about there age and grade. Which is funny but kind of scary at times.

2.) how would I educate my students on this?

Well I guess I would have to tell them to be careful out there and be wise about these sites. That not everyone is a knight and shining armor, there are bad guys out there and sometimes they look like the good guy, so be careful.