I work in a school district where a majority of the students is from low-income households but most students seem to have iPods or some sort of smart phone, which I find surprising. Having these devices available can assist in the classroom and can be used as a handy tool. Teachers can create their own podcasts for lessons or lesson reviews. The chapter also discusses some sites that the author has found helpful. I have listed a couple of sites that contain educational links to the iTunes educational site as well as 100 ways to use your iPod. I find these sites to have many interesting applications that range from flash cards, ELL tools, foreign language introductory tools, books, book summaries or Spark Notes, etc. The only issue with a lot of these podcast or apps for iPods is the cost. Many of them have a cost; however, local libraries can be a resource for literary podcast. Another idea is to work with the school libraries to create a library of purchased podcast or learning applications. Often apps or podcasts can be purchased for use on multiple devices added to the library resources as found in public libraries.
The author made a point in the chapter to discuss three important topics. The first is using these devices to cheat, the second, the need to educate students in copyright laws and digital citizenship and the third, multitasking students. In my opinion, if a student wants to cheat, he/she will find creative ways to cheat and we should always be aware during examination periods. Regarding copyright and digital citizenship, these skills should be in the curriculum and taught throughout a student’s educational career. The theory behind understand the law does not change with the piece of technology used or emerging technologies.
Finally, the concern of students and their ability to multitask is a viable concern. Every student learns differently and needs to understand how they learn best. Perhaps one student can listen to music while they are writing as English paper but not while they are learning algebra. This is where the knowledge of multiple intelligences would come in handy.
4 The Love of Technology
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Cells Phones
After receiving my new smart phone for Christmas, I was excited to learn new ways of using my phone for personal and as an educational tool so I read the chapter called “Cell Phones” with vigor. I did not learn anything new but this chapter may be helpful for others. Teachers can use cell phones to send texts to students to remind about exams and pending project timelines. Students can be encouraged to use the calendar feature to add important educational dates such as exams, quizzes, project deadlines, etc. Student possessing phones which have internet access can be used to research questions that arise during classroom discussions. In our school, teachers generally have one computer in their classroom and often they are using it to project their lessons. While the teacher continues with the lesson, students can use their phone browser to research questions or a topic in more detail perhaps promoting more indepth conversations. Smart phones have many educational applications and among them are dictionaries, language translation tools, etc.
Students can listen to educational podcasts and can download books onto these devices. Downloading books is handy and makes them available for impromtu reading. Students can also take pictures to document projects steps. The pictures can be downloaded to a pc to create project documentation or create a class slide show for a parent’s night.
Along with using these technologies in the classroom, teaches must teach proper phone etiquette and the proper use of phones in the classroom. Smart phones are relatively new to most students and will take some time before students use them effectively in the classroom without monitoring.
Students can listen to educational podcasts and can download books onto these devices. Downloading books is handy and makes them available for impromtu reading. Students can also take pictures to document projects steps. The pictures can be downloaded to a pc to create project documentation or create a class slide show for a parent’s night.
Along with using these technologies in the classroom, teaches must teach proper phone etiquette and the proper use of phones in the classroom. Smart phones are relatively new to most students and will take some time before students use them effectively in the classroom without monitoring.
Teaching with the Tools Kids Really Use: Learning With Web and Mobile Technologies by Susan Brooks-Young
21st Century Skills:
What does the phrase “21st Century Skills” mean? 21st Century Skills refer to the content, skills and knowledge students will need to be productive in a world that is constantly evolving. Does this mean that educators should use the latest technology without any regard to the curriculum? How can schools keep up with the latest and greatest technology? Is it really necessary to keep up with the latest and greatest technology to cover the skills outline in NETs*S? Brooks-Young states that educators must not replace the content in the curriculum but use technology and “modern tools” to enhance and support the curriculum whether students move into the work force after graduation or go to college.
The National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS*S) identifies the standards that are needed to help students thrive in a rapidly changing world.
1. Students can use web tools, power point, word processing, photo and video processing tools, etc. to promote and enhance creativity and innovation.
2. Group and project-based learning is necessary to teach communication and collaboration skills. Tools available to enhance the communication and collaborative process are email systems, wikis, blogs, social media sites, web meeting applications, etc.
3. Learning skills to quickly effectively search the web to find and evaluate quality research information and disseminate between fact and fiction is imperative to research and information fluency.
4. Solving real world problems involve critical thinking, problem solving and decision making skills.
5. Teaching digital citizenship to students encompasses ethics and social responsibility while using technology and 21st century skills
6. Incorporating the use of technology and operations is important but is it important to keep up with the latest and greatest? Learning technology is similar to learning a foreign language. Once you know one foreign language, it is easier to learn another. This concept can be used when learning technology. Once you learn to use one email system, blog application, photo applications, it is much easier to learn others.
When using technology and modern tools in the classroom, educators must ensure that the tools used in the classroom are not for the entertainment value or merely an updated look of a lesson. Technology and modern tools must engage students in the learning process and encourage students to “dig deeper” into the subject resulting in higher achievement. In my opinion, rewriting lessons into power point presentations to display using an overhead projector does not count.
What does the phrase “21st Century Skills” mean? 21st Century Skills refer to the content, skills and knowledge students will need to be productive in a world that is constantly evolving. Does this mean that educators should use the latest technology without any regard to the curriculum? How can schools keep up with the latest and greatest technology? Is it really necessary to keep up with the latest and greatest technology to cover the skills outline in NETs*S? Brooks-Young states that educators must not replace the content in the curriculum but use technology and “modern tools” to enhance and support the curriculum whether students move into the work force after graduation or go to college.
The National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS*S) identifies the standards that are needed to help students thrive in a rapidly changing world.
1. Students can use web tools, power point, word processing, photo and video processing tools, etc. to promote and enhance creativity and innovation.
2. Group and project-based learning is necessary to teach communication and collaboration skills. Tools available to enhance the communication and collaborative process are email systems, wikis, blogs, social media sites, web meeting applications, etc.
3. Learning skills to quickly effectively search the web to find and evaluate quality research information and disseminate between fact and fiction is imperative to research and information fluency.
4. Solving real world problems involve critical thinking, problem solving and decision making skills.
5. Teaching digital citizenship to students encompasses ethics and social responsibility while using technology and 21st century skills
6. Incorporating the use of technology and operations is important but is it important to keep up with the latest and greatest? Learning technology is similar to learning a foreign language. Once you know one foreign language, it is easier to learn another. This concept can be used when learning technology. Once you learn to use one email system, blog application, photo applications, it is much easier to learn others.
When using technology and modern tools in the classroom, educators must ensure that the tools used in the classroom are not for the entertainment value or merely an updated look of a lesson. Technology and modern tools must engage students in the learning process and encourage students to “dig deeper” into the subject resulting in higher achievement. In my opinion, rewriting lessons into power point presentations to display using an overhead projector does not count.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
ECOMP 6008 - The World Wide Web as an Educational Resource
I want to learn the best and most efficient ways to add/use technology into all types of classroom activities.
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