And in the end...

This technology class has helped me realize that technology is always changing and even after I have graduated from college I will still have to keep up with the changes that are taking place.  Another reason to stay up to date with technology is because children are quick learners and most of them have access to computers and have begun to learn all about technology at a very young age.  One of the few issues I see about this class is when it takes place in the curriculum.  I feel like I will forget all of the useful things I’ve learned before I’m done with college in two years. 

One of the most useful things that I picked up from this class probably comes from the web tools assignment.  I don’t think I ever realized how many different free resources there are for teacher out there on the internet.  I also learned about teacher tube which is pretty much you tube but directed towards education, I don’t think I would’ve ever thought of using a you tube video as a source for a lesson before this semester. 

There were a few things I did not like about this semester but it was mainly Google docs.  I hated everything about Google docs, the concept behind it seemed well thought out but I did not like using it at all.  This semester has been an adventure and hopefully the next three that I have before I become a teacher go as well as this one has.

Assistive Technology

Did you know that computers come with different types of assistive technology built into them when you buy them?  Every computer varies with how to find the different assistive technology so the best way to find the technology is to look at the user guide that comes with the computer or to just simply google it.  Some of the different types of technology that exists on the computer are providing contrast, magnifying pages, on screen key board and a sound alert when certain keys are pressed.  There are many more technologies on the computer that will assist many different disabilities.  As a teacher getting to know the computers in the classroom and how to utilize the different tools because there could be a child that could benefit from them in the classroom right now.  It would also be helpful to make a cheat sheet for parents, so that they can access the same technology at their houses to help students succeed on homework as well as projects.

contrast applied to a webpage

magnification

NETS-T - using assistive technology helps improve students with specials needs learning ability

2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning

Experiences and Assessments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic

learning experiences and assessment incorporating

contemporary tools and resources to maximize content

learning in context and to develop the knowledge,

skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS·S.

a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that

incorporate digital tools and resources to promote

student learning and creativity

Ethics and Technology

The problem with the internet is that it provides so many resources to use when writing papers that it makes it hard for a teacher to check all resources for honesty.  http://turnitin.com/ is a website that helps teachers out in this process.  The site provides an online database of internet sites that are scanned and compared to a students paper that they submit to the online site.  All the teacher has to do is setup an account on the site and send the link to it out to the students so that they can log in and submit their papers.  This site eliminates the guess work out of grading papers and greatly reduces plagiarism.

NETS-T - this site helps students promote a sense of responsibility for creating their own work and not coping others

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship

and Responsibility

Teachers understand local and global societal

issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital

culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in

their professional practices.

a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical

use of digital information and technology, including

respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the

appropriate documentation of sources

 

 

Web Pages

I never thought before that making a web page would be a good use in the classroom, and there is still a part of me that thinks that it wouldn't be effective. 
I created a web page recently for my technology class and it was a battle.  The template I originally selected was very difficult to change, so I decided to start from scratch with a blank template that I could change on my own.  This was very time consuming and it would have to be something that would take days and months but for a teacher it could work very well.  The first year that the web page is active it will take the teacher a great amount of time to get used to the pages and how they function on their own.  Once the initial frustration with making a web page dissapears there is a great deal of options that can make the site unique.  It also provides the option to put in pictures into each page and as the background. 
I hope you enjoy checking out the web page that I created in class based on a class that I hope to teach some day. Check it out! --->  https://sites.google.com/site/mskavanaghsartisticclassroom

NETS-T - this activity is a unique way to interact with the teacher outside of the classroom, it will allow the students to connect with what is going on in class if there is an emergency absence

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional

practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit

leadership in their school and professional

community by promoting and demonstrating

the effective use of digital tools and resources.

a. Participate in local and global learning communities

to explore creative applications of technology to

improve student learning

b. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of

technology infusion, participating in shared decision

making and community building, and developing the

leadership and technology skills of others

 

Google Docs

Google Docs is an awesome site to help families communicate in the classroom.  It allows anyone who has a google account to communicate and collaborate through documents that are similar to word documents.  There are some positives and negatives about google docs in my opinion.  The positives are that it allows sharing documents with a group of people of any size, which can be important in a classroom setting for parents and teachers to communicate.  What I didn't like about google docs was the slideshow option, I didn't like the functions for it at all and I think it would be so much easier to just use power point.

Google docs will be a good tool when students are working as a group because it can be accessed at home or from any computer. 

NETS - T - this collaborative use of technology will be an effective tool in the classroom among both parents and students

3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work

processes representative of an innovative professional

in a global and digital society.

b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents,

and community members using digital tools

and resources to support student success

and innovation

c. Communicate relevant information and ideas

effectively to students, parents, and peers using

a variety of digital age media and formats

 

Windows Movie Maker

 

If you are using a windows operating system there is a free tool that you can use that will allow you to make movies on your computer.  Movies can be beneficial in the classroom because it is a way that students can view the material on a specific subject that is completely different and can be fun.  Making a movie can allow you to incorporate music that is themed to the specific unit you are trying to teach.  The movie may also allow you to incorporate graphics that are not available on power point.   It is possible to insert short video clips or photos into the movie and there is also an option to add music.  This video tool is very easy to use and versatile because it has so many options.

I themed my video around all of the places that I have traveled in my lifetime.  I hope you enjoy and become inspired to create your own masterpiece.
 - While trying to download the video onto this blog it was a huge pain.  I had to put the video on youtube first, which I'm not crazy about at all.  For future reference, now I know that videos and blogs don't mix well unless they're on youtube.

NETS-T - making a video based on a specific subject will help student think creatively in the classroom

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning

and Creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter,

teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate

experiences that advance student learning,

creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face

and virtual environments.

a. Promote, support, and model creative

and innovative thinking and inventiveness

 

 

Web Tools

The internet is full of many different resources for teachers.  The four main resources that we used in class were Rubistar www.rubistar.4teachers.org, this website offers a free way to create rubrics that can be used in the grading process.
 Another resource that was useful in class was Classmarker www.classmarker.com  it is also a free website that allows a teacher to set up tests and quizzes through online classes that have been created on the users account.  This web tool gave me some issues when it came to printing out the test, it did not seem to want to work with me. 
Another webtool that we used was ABCteach www.abcteach.com, this website provided some free worksheets that could be printed off but it offered many more if the subscriber paid a monthly fee. 
The last webtool that we used was my least favorite, it was Discovery school's puzzlemaker www.puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com, this website is an excellent concept because it generates word searches and crossword puzzles for teachers.  The reason that I did not like this web tool was because it was free but to get the format to set up like a traditional crossword puzzle there was an additional fee. 
I wish that I could post examples of the projects I created but because none of the files are pictures it was pretty impossible to do so, be sure to check out all of free web pages that can be used in the classroom or even at home to entertain children on a slow day.

NETS-T - by using current technology in the classroom to develop lessons and online assesments it helps make learning easier and more efficient

3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work

processes representative of an innovative professional

in a global and digital society.

d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and

emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate,

and use information resources to support research

and learning