Education in Techonolgy Reflection
My opinion of technology in education has changed greatly. I knew there were new tech tools but I never imagined there would be so many. The only tools I knew about coming into my technology in education class were the basic Microsoft tools. My eyes have been opened to a whole new “cool tool” world. I have already shared what I have learned with other teachers I know and I can’t wait to use it in my future classroom.
I feel that I am ready to teach 21st century learners. My professor has such a passion for technology in education there is no reason for my not to be. She introduced me to each new tool in a way that they all seem so easy to use. We used some of them in the course of the semester. Using them for the first time in class made it easier because we had Professor Zumpano there to help us along. I am ready to share what I have learned with my future students and coworkers.
I really enjoyed learning about all the web 2.0 cool tools. I have many favorite “cool tools”; Blabberize, Glogster, Prezi, Quizlet, and BibMe. Wordle by far is my absolute favorite. I feel it can be used for so many things, and ice breaker, study guide (tool), introduction to a lesson, research, and more. I like how the words can appear in different sizes depending on how many times you enter them in. I feel like this could help students distinguish which words are most important. The only downside to Wordle is that you are not able to choose your own colors of the words or backgrounds; there are just templates you can pick from.
I feel that technology is very important in education today. Not only is it the way of our future but it is one of the only things some kids will respond to. Some students will fail or refuse to do something with paper and pen (the old way) but love and ace the same assignment that allows them to use technology. The trick is going to be getting them to realize both are actually important, as well as staying on top of the new technology so that as the teacher I am not behind the students.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Tech in Ed Presentation
This Prezi on Moblie Learning Device was created for my Technology in Education class in November 2012.
Digital Story - November 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
PLN Reflection
In mid-September I was asked to open a Twitter account as a PLN (personal learning network) assignment for my graduate tech in ed class. I was very hesitant as this is something I have been avoiding for a few years now. I have always found Twitter to be super confusing. As I scrolled through the tweets this past few weeks it hasn’t gotten any less confusing. I am definitely a Facebook person. I can’t go one day without it.
On October 21st I came across an article that was posted on the edudemic page which is titled, “It’s Official: Using Twitter Makes Students More Engaged.” This article discusses a study done by a professor at Michigan State University. It reports how college students are more engaged in class, professors and fellow classmates as well as receiving higher grades when parts of their classes are on Twitter. The professor also found that there are 200 million active users Twitter who post more than 175 million tweets a day.
I picked this tweet to reflection on because I am not sure how student’s grades could benefit from using Twitter. I thought as teachers and future teachers we are trying to keep the student so of these types of sites at school. The schools I have been in have blocked all of these kinds of sites. I guess this leaves me with one question. If this is the way of our future how will people, like me who don’t understand exactly how to use Twitter be able to integrate it into our curriculum?
Michelle's Twitter
In mid-September I was asked to open a Twitter account as a PLN (personal learning network) assignment for my graduate tech in ed class. I was very hesitant as this is something I have been avoiding for a few years now. I have always found Twitter to be super confusing. As I scrolled through the tweets this past few weeks it hasn’t gotten any less confusing. I am definitely a Facebook person. I can’t go one day without it.
On October 21st I came across an article that was posted on the edudemic page which is titled, “It’s Official: Using Twitter Makes Students More Engaged.” This article discusses a study done by a professor at Michigan State University. It reports how college students are more engaged in class, professors and fellow classmates as well as receiving higher grades when parts of their classes are on Twitter. The professor also found that there are 200 million active users Twitter who post more than 175 million tweets a day.
I picked this tweet to reflection on because I am not sure how student’s grades could benefit from using Twitter. I thought as teachers and future teachers we are trying to keep the student so of these types of sites at school. The schools I have been in have blocked all of these kinds of sites. I guess this leaves me with one question. If this is the way of our future how will people, like me who don’t understand exactly how to use Twitter be able to integrate it into our curriculum?
Michelle's Twitter
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tech-Tac-Toe Assignment 3
Algebra Worksheet QRCodes
This is a QRCode worksheet that could be used as review after lessons on how to solve for x. The students would need to solve for x in all 18 problems and then would be given an iPod to check their answers by scanning the QRCodes.
QCcodes can be made on many sites. I used http://www.qrstuff.com/. I found this website to be very easy to use. You just type in the box what you want the QRCode to read when scanned (it can be answers like this worksheet or it can be a link to a website) and then hit download QRCode. After downloading it you can copy and paste it into a word document like the worksheet above. This site also gives you the option of making them colorful. This could be exciting for the students. This website does not require you to create an account to use it. As for student use with this website I believe that students of all ages could use it as the process is very easy, but I would personally only use it with older students (middle school and up) because I feel they would truly understand what they mean and how to use them. QR codes can be used for many things like the worksheet above, a treasure hunt in the classroom, on a syllabus for parent information, etc.
This is a QRCode worksheet that could be used as review after lessons on how to solve for x. The students would need to solve for x in all 18 problems and then would be given an iPod to check their answers by scanning the QRCodes.
QCcodes can be made on many sites. I used http://www.qrstuff.com/. I found this website to be very easy to use. You just type in the box what you want the QRCode to read when scanned (it can be answers like this worksheet or it can be a link to a website) and then hit download QRCode. After downloading it you can copy and paste it into a word document like the worksheet above. This site also gives you the option of making them colorful. This could be exciting for the students. This website does not require you to create an account to use it. As for student use with this website I believe that students of all ages could use it as the process is very easy, but I would personally only use it with older students (middle school and up) because I feel they would truly understand what they mean and how to use them. QR codes can be used for many things like the worksheet above, a treasure hunt in the classroom, on a syllabus for parent information, etc.
Tech-Tac-Toe Assignment 2
This assignment would use gloster.com. Glogster is a web tool in which students can create posters. For this assignment students would research a mathematician and then create an "all about” poster on their mathematician. Glogster could be used for fourth grade and up. As for the primary students blabberize.com could be used. This is a web tool in which the students would still research a mathematician but instead of making a poster they would create a recording to tell about what they learned in their research.
Glogster is a web 2.0 tool that is free to everyone but you do need to create an account. This online tool allows you to create an online poster about anything. It could be for a research project, book report, history timeline, family tree, just to name a few. You can add text and pictures (from glogster or uploaded) in any arrangement you want. There are many themed backgrounds that you can build on. I found glogster user friendly and had not problems using it. When you are finished with your glogster you can choose whether to keep it private or make it public for everyone to see. I feel that this tool would be easy for students in 4th grade and up to use. It is just like creating traditional poster just online. You can find it at www.gloster.com.
Tech-Tac-Toe Assignment 1
Algebra Definitions
1.
Absolute Value-the distance between
the number and 0 on the number line.
2.
Base-the number or expression that
is used as a factor in a repeated multiplication.
3.
Constant- a term that is a number.
4.
Difference-an answer to a
subtraction problem.
5.
Domain-the set of all first
coordinates of a relation.
6.
Equation-a statement that two
expressions are equal.
7.
Expression-a mathematical sentence.
8.
Exponent-a number or a variable that
represents the number of times a base is used as a factor in a repeated
multiplication.
9.
Integer-consisted of negative and
positive whole numbers, including 0.
10.
Median-the middle score or the mean
of two middle scores of an ordered set of data.
11.
Ordered Pair-a pair of numbers that
can be used to locate a pint in a coordinate plane. First number is the
x-coordinate, and the second in the y-coordinate
12.
Origin-the point (0,0) where the
x-axis and the y-axis intersect in a coordinate plane.
13.
Parallel Lines- Coplanar lines with
equal slopes. The lines do not intersect.
14.
Power-made up of an exponent or base
15.
Quadrants-four regions into which a
coordinate plane is divided by the x-axis and the y-axis.
16.
Scatter Plot-the graph of a collection
of ordered pairs (x,y)
17.
Term-the number or an expression
that is added to a sum.
18.
Variable-a letter that represents
one or more numbers.
19.
X-axis-the horizontal number line in
a coordinate plane.
20.
Y-axis-the vertical number line in a
coordinate plane.
This assignment could be used as a study guide for the end of the year final. The students would be asked to compile a list of 100 vocabulary words from throughout the year. First they would create a wordle with the list of 100 words then the students would need to pick 20 of those words to define. As the teacher I would then take the definitions from all the students and create a list of all the words they should know for the test. The students can then use the wordle to read off the names and the definitions. The students’ goal would be to recite the definitions using the wordle without using the definition sheet.
Wordle is a free web 2.0 tool in
which students, teachers and more can create a word cloud using any list of
words. Wordle is very easy to use, one types their list into the box provided
on the wordle site. When finished and word cloud is created the words appear in
all directions and can be different sizes. The size of the word depends on the
number of times you type that word in the box. For example if you type the word
"algebra" ten times, the word "add" six times and the work
"multiply" twice, the work "algebra" would be the largest
then "add" and then "multiply". The color scheme can also
be changed. You cannot choose specific colors just different predetermined
combinations. Wordle is definitely a tool students of all ages can use easily. This
web 2.0 tool could be used for many things, study guide, an all about me,
summer vacation, etc. Wordle does not require you to create and account in
order to use the site. You can find wordle at http://www.wordle.net.
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