Final Exam (part 2)

This week we were assigned the last two assignments of our final exam. We were assigned to create two lesson plans that are centered around technological tools that we learned about in class. The important aspect of this assignment was that the lesson plans had to be unique and "out of box". At first, I had a difficult time coming up with two "out of the box" lesson plan ideas. I started second guessing my ideas and wondering if I would be able to think of something that would be good enough for the assignment requirements. After discussing a few of my ideas with some of my classmates, I was able to reach a decision about my two lesson plans. In the end, I feel like I did the best that I could with my lesson plans.

My first lesson plan is entitled "Virtual Pen Pals". This lesson plan allows students to communicate with a student who lives in Japan via webcam. Students will share information as well as pictures with each other over the World Wide Web. Students will then write a blog from the point of view of their virtual Japanese pen pal. Students will then present what they have learned to the class in anyway that they choose. This lesson allows students to learn about a different culture through the use of many different technological mediums. This lesson also allows students to be creative in the way in which they decide to present what they have learned to the class. This lesson also addresses a variety of learners. I am excited to use this lesson plan in my future classroom one day. My second lesson plan is entitled "Electronic Storybook". This lesson plan allows students to utilize teamwork and be creative. In this lesson, students will create an original story centered around the theme "Be Kind to Others". Students will also use a camcorder or digital camera to capture video that illustrates their original story. Students will present their story to the class in the form of a Powerpoint presentation. Each slide of their Powerpoint presentation will include text and a video illustrating that text. This lesson will allow students to develop social and creativity skills. This lesson also teaches students the importance of being kind to others. I think both of my lesson plans are creative and introduce important concepts.

Now that I have completed all five assignments of the final, I am left reflecting upon all that I have learned in this class. Everything that I have learned will help me when I become an educator. I plan to use both of my lesson plan ideas in my future classroom. I also plan to utilize all forms of technology available to me and my students. I will create a variety of lesson plans that will use technology. Technology will be very present and greatly used in the education of my students.

The video that I chose to reflect upon this week is entitled "Google Wonder Wheel". I found the video on Teacher Tube. The video introduces a new search feature on Google called Wonder Wheel. The Wonder Wheel makes searching easier for younger students who have a limited vocabulary. The Wonder Wheel takes a one-word search and creates a wheel shaped like tool that simplifies and arranges search results. The video goes through an example of a search using the Google Wonder Wheel. I think this is an excellent search tool for students.

Tools of Choice

This week we were assigned the first three parts of our five part final exam. Using any tool of our own choosing, we were to create a flyer, a brochure, and a newsletter. All three documents had to be aesthetically pleasing and pertaining to education. It was difficult at first because we had not been taught how to create these documents. However, with the use of any tool that we wanted, it made the assignment seem exciting. I love the opportunity to be creative.

The tool that I chose to use was Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office is a program that I have used many times in the past, so I am familiar with it. I started by making the newsletter first. I have made newsletters before, so I figured it would be the easiest part. I knew right away that I wanted to do a December themed newsletter. It is currently December. And December is my favorite month. I decided that I wanted to include the following sections in my newsletter: Note from the Teacher, Book Spotlight, Student of the Month, Spelling Words, School Food Drive, Parent and Student Reminders, Important Announcements, Upcoming Events, and Thank Yous. Once I typed up all the sections, I searched the Internet for Holiday themed graphics. Once my newsletter was complete, I decided to work on my brochure. I changed my mind several different times. I couldn't decide what I wanted my brochure to be about. Finally, I decided that my brochure would be centered around informing the parents of my students about my class. It would be something that I could give to parents on Back to School Night, sort of a parents guide to my classroom. Working on the brochure took a lot of time. I had to think about what to include and how to organize it. Finding the right graphics also took a lot of time. And then every time I would insert a graphic, all of my columns would shift. It was so frustrating. However, after about 3 hours, I finished my brochure. Next came the flyer. The flyer was probably the easiest of the three documents. It didn't take me long to decide that my flyer would be advertising a play. The play would be The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. When I was in school, I saw this play and it has always been my favorite Christmas story of all time. Once all three documents were done, I sat back and admired all of my hard work. This assignment was difficult, but also a lot of fun.

I plan to use what I had learned from this assignment when I become a teacher. I will be making weekly newsletters for my student's parents. Newsletters are a great way to keep parents involved and informed about their child's education. I also plan to make a brochure similar to the one that I made in this assignment for parents on Back to School Night. I will hand out these brochures to all the parents of my students. The brochures will introduce them to myself as well as to my classroom. I am sure that as a teacher there will be many events for which I will need to make flyers for. Some things that I can think of are: bake sales, parties, parent-teacher conferences, meetings, plays, fairs, fund raisers, and so much more. There is not a doubt in my mind that I will use the skills that I have developed in this assignment when I become a teacher.

This week's video is my favorite reflection video by far. I love Schoolhouse Rock! I remember watching Schoolhouse Rock when I was in school. I still remember all of the Schoolhouse Rock videos, including this one about Nouns. My favorite Schoolhouse Rock video was 3's a Magic number, which is why I choose to do my vidcast using that song. The great thing about Schoolhouse Rock videos is that they are both educational and fun. Children like them and learn from them. Learning things through music is a great way to remember important concepts. Great video!

Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is all about web applications that allows its users to communicate and collaborate on the World Wide Web. It brings together blogging, social networking, wiki, tagging, podcasts, and RSS onto one website. A Web 2.0 site allows users to interact and change its content. It is unlike many websites visited today where people are only allowed to look at the information presented to them. Web 2.0 is all about bringing a change to the World Wide Web.

Web 2.0 means a great deal to every single person who uses the Internet and therefore, it means a great deal to educators. The best thing about Web 2.0 is that it allows its users to do more than just receive information, it gives them the capability to interact and to build upon information. This is an amazing resource for educators. Schools could set up a Web 2.0 site for the entire school in which all educators and administrators can have complete access to. This would be the perfect way to present all school information in one location for students and parents. There is so much that can be done with this technology.

As a future educator, any new technology that arises that makes my job easier is important to me. And Web 2.0 technologies would make things easier by bringing multiple applications together in one place. It also allows for easy interaction between myself and colleagues and myself and parents. Web 2.0 also allows for an easy way to present, share, and change information as a group. It is just an amazing resource for educators. I resource in which I plan to learn more about and take full advantage of.

This week's video was so much fun! I love when teachers aren't afraid to get involved and do something creative to teach their students. Mr. Duey's students will never forget that video and therefore, will never forget how to work with fractions. I loved the video. I thought it was fun and informative. Way to go Mr. Duey!

Powerpoint Presentations

This week in class we worked with Powerpoint Presentations. We got into groups and used our textbook 50 Quick and Easy Powerpoint Activities to create two powerpoint presentations. My partner and I decided that we would each do one powerpoint presentation a piece. I quickly decided to do my powerpoint presentation on activity #46: Top 10 Reasons to Live in Utah. I chose this activity because I love living in Utah and I thought it would be fun. I spent the class period organizing my top 10 reasons to live in Utah and finding pictures to support those reasons. I love working with powerpoint presentations. I think it is so fun to pick a template, play with fonts, and organize information. However, my favorite part of powerpoint presentations are using animations. I had such a great time getting creative with each slide. In the end, I am very happy with how my presentation turned out.

Powerpoint presentations are an awesome teaching tool for educators. There are so many things that you can do with powerpoint presentations to enhance education. Powerpoint presentations bring new life to lesson plans. They are a great way to variate instruction and make learning fun. Powerpoint presentations can cover any topic in a new and unique way. Through this resource, teachers can make lessons colorful, animated, and attention grabbing. Powerpoint presentations can also be used in faculty meetings and as a communication tool between teachers and parents. There are so many great things to do with powerpoint presentations. The possibilities are endless!

I cannot wait to use powerpoint presentations in my classroom when I become I teacher. I plan to use powerpoint presentations to present important information in a fun and exciting way. I also plan to allow my students to use powerpoint presentations for projects or reports. I will also use powerpoint presentations to communicate with my parents. My powerpoint presentations will help parents to know what is happening in the classroom, They will also serve as an aid for those students who are absent from class. I am so excited to use powerpoint presentations to enhance and variate my teaching.

This week's video was so great! I was immediately captivated by little Dalton Sherman. I was touched by his confidence and his enthusiasm. The thing that touched me that most was when he said that he and his classmates needed us (teachers) to believe in them and in their potential. What a powerful statement! Dalton is correct. The one thing that students need more than anything is teachers who believe in them and push them to live up to their full potential. The video brought me to tears and inspired me to try harder and to better. After watching this video, I am committed to being the very best teacher that I can be.

Podcasts & Vidcasts

In class this week our topic was podcasts and vidcasts. We learned what they are, how to create them, and how to use them in education. Podcasts and vidcasts allow educators to teach in a different way. They also allow educators to reach students outside of the classroom. This new and exciting advancement in technology is a great resource for educators.

A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released in episodes and downloaded through the web. Itunes is a great place to find podcasts on pretty much any topic you can imagine. And if you can't find the topic you are looking for, you can make your very own podcast centered around that topic. Podcasts are a way to share a series of information in an easy, fast, and fun way. Educators can create podcasts of their lesson plans and post them on a website for easy student and parent access. Educators can also use podcasts as a way of educating themselves. The best thing about podcasts is that you can access them from your personal computer or you ipod. You can download a podcast onto your ipod and have access to the information anywhere you go. The majority of students have or will eventually have an ipod. Podcasts allow educators to teach their students through one of the most beloved technologies of our time.

Vidcasts are another amazing resource for educators. Through the use of vidcasts, educators can make videos or important concepts and posts them on YouTube or a classroom website. By doing this, students will have constant access to important information. Educators could even record themselves teaching. This would be helpful for students who have a question during homework or for those students who were absent from class. Vidcasts are a great way to keep students on top of what is going on in the classroom. They are also a great way to get parents involved in what their children are learning. By creating a vidcast of lessons, educators allow parents to better assist their children in the learning process. The best thing about vidcasts is that they can be about anything. Want to teach a lesson? Want to make a movie? Want to read a book? Want to sing a song? Vidcasts can be used for all these things and for much, much more.

As a future educator, I am so excited for all of the possibilities that podcasts and vidcasts have to offer. When I become a teacher, I plan to use both of these technologies to variate my teaching and to reach my students outside of the classroom. I plan to post vidcasts of important concepts on my classroom website. This will allow students constant access to things that they need to know. I also plan to use podcasts in my classroom. I will post weekly podcasts on my classroom website for parents. These podcasts will contain important annoucements and updates from the classroom. I am so excited to use both podcasts and vidcasts to enhance my teaching.

I really enjoyed this week''s video. I am such a fan of blogging. I think it is so important that students blog. Blogging allows students to be creative and express themselves. Blogging is also a great way for students to develop writing and reading skills. But the most important thing that i believe students gain from blogging is self-confidence. I plan to incorporate blogging into my classroom.

Technology Articles

Technology is everywhere. As technology continues to advance, it is vital for educators to advance right along with it. Educators must be knowledgeable about all areas of ever-present and ever-changing technology. Educators must also be able to implement the use of technology into their classrooms. Today's educators must always be one step ahead and ready to make changes in the way in which they teach. Therefore, it is so important that educators are constantly researching new technologies and learning ways to incorporating them into their curriculum.

Our assignment this week was to research two technologies and learn ways to use them in our future classrooms. The two technologies that I chose to research are the Smart Board and the Web Cam. While working at Noah Webster Academy, I was introduced to and was able to work with the Smart Board. I was amazed by this technology and have always wanted to learn more. The Web Cam is something that is a little more familiar to me. I use the Web Cam at least once a week to talk to my sister in California. However, I wanted to learn ways in which to use the Web Cam to educated my future students.

The Smart Board is an amazing educational resource tool. It is a whiteboard, but on a whole new level. The Smart Board combines the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer. We all know about all the things that we can do with computers. Now imagine doing these things on a larger scale with the involvement of your entire class. There are so many possibilities. The Smart Board is an educational tool that promotes and facilitates interactive education. The Smart Board has many pros. With the SMART Board, you can control any application through the touch board. So instead of working from behind the computer keyboard, you (or your students) can be at the front of the classroom physically interacting with the display. You can also use any of the 4 colors of markers or the eraser to write in digital ink over applications, web pages, or moving video. You can also save your work into a notebook file, and you can convert handwriting into text. And that is only a few of the many positive aspects of having a Smart Board in your classroom. But like everything in life, there are also some cons to the Smart Board. Having a Smart Board doesn't come cheap. It is an expensive piece of equipment that requires a projector and many different cords and connection devices. Learning how to use a Smart Board will also take some time. You may need to attend a training course or spend a lot of time working with it on your own. However, once you learn how to use the Smart Board, it becomes easy and a lot of fun. Honestly, I believe that the pros completely outweigh the cons. The Smart Board is an amazing educational resource tool.

My instructional objective for using the Smart Board is centered around exploration. I want my students to explore and learn about some interesting areas of Africa. Through the use of a Smart Board, my students will explore the African Jungle, Desert, and Savannah. PBS kids has a great website for using the Smart Board,

http://pbskids.org/krattscreatures/flash.shtml

This websites allows students to explore different places around the world. Because the Smart Board has touch technology, students can go up and touch the animals or other things that they wish to learn more about. This website is specifically designed for using the Smart Board. I found two really great articles on Smart Boards, "Smart Boards and Hands-On, Minds-On" and "Interactive Websites are All the Rage".

People may not realize how many different ways Web Cams can be used to enhance education. Web Cams can be used visit other states or even other countries, take virtual field trips, create plays or movies with your students, create and post educational podcasts, and so much more. Web Cams are a connection to the world that lives outside of your classroom. The pros of using the camera are simply that Web Cams enhance learning. Web Cams get your students involved and stimulate their minds. Web Cams allow you to learn about different places without even leaving your classrooms. Web Cams are also very costly and easy to use. The cons of using Web Cams are centered around security. It is very important that you monitor what your students are seeing while using the Web Cam. It is also important that you are in control of what your students create and where there creations are posted online. Student Web Cam creations should be posted on a secure and private website where only you, your students, and your student's parents have access. Remember, the web is a scary place.

My instructional objective for using Web Cams in my classroom is going to be learning about Japan. My students would connect with students in Japan via the Web Cam. My students would learn all about the students and what school and life is like in Japan. The students would meet via Web Cam throughout the course of the school year and collect information. At the end of the school year, students would then present the information through a paper or making a poster or even through a Web Cam podcast. The two articles that I found about Web Cams are, "How to Use a Computer Web Cam in the Elementary School Classroom" and "Web Cam Technology to Support Teaching".

Smart Boards and Web Cams are great uses of technology in the classroom. They are great educational tools that will enhance your teaching and get your students involved in learning. There is so many different ways to implement these tools in your curriculum. By utilizing these technologies, you will make your classroom more versatile and your students will greatly benefit as a result.

The video link posted on the class website sent me to a page of several videos, so I just picked one of the videos from that page. The video that I chose to reflect upon is entitled, Technology Fear Factor in Education. The video is all about how technology can be scary and intimidating, but it is not the enemy to education. The video encourages teachers to get out of their comfort zone and learn about how to use technology in the classroom. I really liked the video. I understand how difficult it can be to try new things. When it is not understood, technology can be very intimidating. It is very easy for educators to fill overwhelmed when trying to learn how to implement new technology into their lesson plans. However, through training and simple exploration, technology can become one of the greatest teaching tools in your classroom. Technology is our friend.

Video

This week's class was all about videos. We learned that videos found on both You Tube and Teacher Tube can be great resources for education. We learned how to download videos to our computers through Zamzar. Now if we find educational videos that we like and want to use in the future, we will always have access to them. We also learned about simulations. Simulations are an easy and convenient way to explore the world from your very own computer. The simulation presented in class was very interesting and a lot of fun. Simulations are a fun way to manipulate different environments and learn about a variety of places. I had a lot of fun exploring You Tube and Teacher Tube looking for educational videos and watching the simulation.

The information presented in class is so useful to future educators. Today's teachers must be well-rounded and present curriculum in a variety of ways. Videos and simulations are a great way to present information in new and exciting ways. Videos allow teachers to variate the way in which they teach. Videos also allow teachers to reach visual learners. Videos present information in ways that grab students' attention and keep them cognitively stimulated. Simulations offer teachers a way in which their students can be active participants in their education. Through simulations they can explore the ocean or the Amazon Rain Forrest. Simulations open the world to students. Simulations allow the students to manipulate and experience new environments. I say this all the time, but through videos and simulations, the possibilities are endless. Using videos and simulations as teaching tools will add variety to your educating and your students will thrive as a result.

I definitely plan to use videos and simulations when planning my lesson plans. I will use videos in my powerpoint presentations to reinforce what is being taught. I will also use videos to present literature to my students. There are a number of videos on You Tube and Teacher Tube where books are presented in a way that almost looks like a movie. This will help my children to experience literature in a different and fun way. Simulations will also be an important part of my curriculum. I think simulations are a wonderful educational tool. My students will be able to explore and experience many different places through simulations. Simulations are a great way to go on field trips from your classroom.

This week's video, Millennial Generation, left me feeling so excited about technology and what it means for our future. Media Mobility is going to make so many wonderful things possible. The world will be at our fingertips. We will be able to take everything, pictures, music, computer files, phone access, with us everywhere we go! Technology is advancing at a rapid rate. Now it is more important than ever that we as future educators learn all there is to know about technology and how it can be used in the classroom. This was a great video. I really enjoyed watching it.

Here are the educational videos that I found. The first video is of the cartoon characters the Animaniacs singing the 50 states. It is a fun way for students to name the 50 states and identify them on a map. The second video is a presentation of the classic children's book Goodnight Moon with narration by Susan Sarandon.