Week 13

- When and how do teachers act as designers?

Teachers act as designers when they plan their lessons around sparking their students’ interest. A well planned lesson does not merely impart information to the students, it inspires them to continue learning about the subject once the lesson is over. The trick of designing a lesson is so that it can hold the students’ interest, impart the needed information to them, and instill a desire to learn more.

- Select one of the followings and explain what it is and how it can be used in classroom: SketchUp, Trebuchet Simulator, Model Car Design, Scratch, iStopMotion, Impromptu. 

iStopMotion is an intriguing tool that allows even amateur filmmakers to generate professional grade stop-motion films. The benefit to the classroom could be enormous as it would allow instructors to create their own films to supplement their lessons rather than relying on existing films. Letting the teacher make the film themselves would allow them to tailor it to their lesson plan rather than trying to tailor the lesson plan to whatever films are available to them. It can also allow the students to learn more about a subject when they use the media to create their own film about it.

- Explain "Digital Storytelling by Kate Kemker." What do you think it would work in your classroom?

Digital Storytelling is no mere presentation like what I was assigned when I was in high school. It is submersive, calling on the student to plan and learn extensively about their assigned subject. It also calls upon the student to impart their knowledge to others, in effect teaching the rest of their class, and gives them a deeper understanding as a result. I believe that this would work very well in my classroom.

- Mathematics is one of the most abstract subject-matter domains. Helping students to visualize mathematical concepts is very useful in helping students make math real. What other methods suggested in the textbook will also help make math more real to students?

Any method that is highly interactive would help make math more real to the students. Programs like Mathematica that the student can use both at school and at home would be a great aid.

- Is it possible to learn from TV alone?--that is, learn how to do something merely from watching TV instruction? 

Yes, it is indeed possible to learn from watching TV instruction. A well planned and detailed television show can be every bit as informative as a live class lesson. The major downsides are that the instructors in a television program are rarely accessible for further questions if the student requires them.

Week 12

Explore http://voicethread.com/  and tell me how you feel about it.

I have to say that my first impression of this is a great deal of interest. The idea of being able to record your own voice instead of a simple typed message combined with the ability to switch between slides and draw on them to further emphasize what you are referring to is extremely potent. I feel quite excited about the potential and versatility that is offered by this form of media. On the other hand, I feel a bit scared when I consider ways in which ignorant or unfeeling people could use it to harm others.

Would you use it for your lesson plan?

Yes, I would indeed use it for my lesson plan. I would find this to be an incredible resource for any lesson that included the internet as I could better convey the lesson by using this technology than I could ever do with simple text. By having the inflections and tone of my voice at my disposal, and the ability to draw on the relevant slides, I could more readily direct my students’ attention to where it needs to be for the lesson. Such media could revolutionize web-based learning.

Would you use it in the real classroom?

Yes, I would definitely use this in the real classroom.  This would give even shy students, who have trouble presenting their work to their peers, a way to give class presentations without having to worry about potential embarrassment from standing in front of the class.  It would also give the students the ability to comment on the lessons and the work of their peers in constructive and helpful ways that would further their understanding of the material.

Conclusion

This is an incredibly powerful resource for learning if used properly.  The versatility offered by the technology for imparting information is almost as great as what could be achieved with a live presence.  I can definitely see this becoming an indispensable part of the classroom of the future.

Citations

What's a voicethread anyway. (2007). [Web]. Retrieved from http://voicethread.com/?#q

Week 11 School Blog Post

    I consider the principles of 'Probing', 'Discovery', and 'Practice' to be among the most important principles for learning, and thus teaching, as they emphasize the student's own ability to discern the facts. The 'Probing Principle' is based upon the earliest learning process that any human undergoes. Every child who is confronted with a new object will immediately try to experience it with all five of their senses in order to determine its purpose. As one of the earliest methods of learning, it is also one of the most effective. The 'Discovery Principle' emphasizes the student's ability to absorb the material rather than the teacher's ability to present it. It involves the student in his or her own education by letting them take an active part in the process of learning. Finally, the 'Practice Principle' further involves the student by giving them tasks related to the lesson that are both challenging and within the student's ability to complete so that they can experience success using the methods they learn.

    Were I to give a simulation to a class, it would be highly relevant to the lesson, of course, and would be completable given the information the students had already been exposed to. It would be something in which the students had free reign to work as they saw fit, discovering the best methods through their own ability. They would be able to freely manipulate any variables that had bearing on the outcome of the task set to them. Finally, the simulation would be something sufficiently challenging so that the students would not become bored or disinterested, and would also feel a sense of accomplishment upon completion of the task.

Conclusion

    The three principles I outlined are highly important to students' ability to learn. In order to gain the most meaning from a lesson, the student needs to feel involved rather than like they are forced to memorize and regurgitate a series of facts. Using simulations to involve students in the process of learning is a fantastic way to engage their minds if done properly. The application would be best suited to lessons in the sciences, but could potentially be adapted to many types of lessons.

References

Crismond, D., Howland, J., Jonassens, D., Marra, R. M. (2008).  Meaningful
learning with technology. Columbus: Pearson, Merrill Prentice Hall.

Week 7 Blog Post

Paragraph 1: What types of writing activities would you make the best use of technology in your classrooms? 

Well, the best use for me would likely be essay writing and literary analysis.  My primary interest is literature, and this would be the main subject of my teaching.  By writing essays in class, I could have the students share them and make commentary on the work of their fellow students, which they could then use to revise their own work.  By sharing comments and insight between the students, this would give them a much better understanding of the material and seeing their peers' work will drive them to do better.

Paragraph 2: We are creating PowerPoint this week, how would you Not let PowerPoint presentation distract your audience? Do you think you can follow the potential pitfalls from the textbook?

The most important pitfall in using PowerPoint is the potential to use too much animation and imagery that your audience is distracted from the main topic.  This can be handled by sticking to a few simple images and animations that illustrate the subject, but not enough to endanger the audience's focus.  Animations should be non-looping and images kept simple and relevant.

Paragraph 3: Conclusion 

In conclusion, having students share their work using technology would, in my opinion, greatly aid in their learning.  Also, by helping them receive feedback from their peers regarding their work, they can improve that much more.  Teaching them to keep their writing and presentation of information simple and relevant in order to keep the interest of their audience will also go a long way to helping them succeed later in life.

Week 6 Assignment Blog Post

Paragraph 1: Personal Digital Assistants
What are Personal Digital Assistants? How do you use them in classrooms?

Personal Digital Assistants, or PDAs, are handheld digital devices that allow a person to more effectively plan and organize information during their daily lives.  Students can use them in classrooms to take notes and look up information pertinent to the lesson.  They can also use them to organize the lesson for later study as well as discuss the lesson with other students in the class.  While they are a potent learning tool, many schools fear that students will use them for activities that will distract them from lessons and thus diminish their learning rather than enhancing it.  Teachers will need to be watchful to make sure the devices are used appropriately.


Paragraph 2: Online Surveys
Why do we use online survey tools? How does it help us in our classrooms? What are 2 good rules for writing good surveys in your opinion? 

Online survey tools are an easy way to gather a large amount of information in a short period of time and from a large group of people.  Standard surveys are limited by the ability of the surveyor to contact groups of people, while online surveys have no such limitations.  This helps us in our classrooms by letting the students research the tendencies of a large demographic without taking up too much time or effort.  Surveys must, however, be used carefully to acquire accurate data.  The most critical point is in the questions.  Survey questions must be clear and specific, as a broad or poorly worded question could lead to misunderstanding on the part of those answering it, which can lead to skewed results.  Questions must also try to avoid leading the survey taker by using the wording to influence them in selecting a particular answer, which will also corrupt the survey's results. 


Paragraph 3: Conclusion

Both devices above can be used to great effect in the classroom if used responsibly.  It is up to the teacher to make sure their students realize both the learning potential of these devices as well as the potential pitfalls associated with them.

Citations:


Leland, Eric. "A Few Good Online Survey Tools." ideal ware. Idealware, Feb.
     2011. Web. 25 Feb. 2011. <http://www.idealware.org/articles/
     fgt_online_surveys.php>.
Vincent, Tony. "Learning in Hand." Learning in Hand. Tony Vincent, n.d. Web. 25
     Feb. 2011. <http://learninginhand.com/>.

First Post

Yeah, a little late (okay a lot late for class), but here it is!