I ran across the following poster which sums up digital citizenship perfectly: THINK before you click! Decide if what you are typing are the following things before posting them online.
Monday, November 12, 2012
#25- Digital Citizenship
When discussing internet manners and digital citizenship with my students, I first like to show a BrainPop video featuring Tim and Moby called Digital Etiquette. Tim and Moby do an excellent job of explaining what is appropriate online in a kid friendly fashion.. They explain that "netiquette" is a set of rules for how to behave online. The also explain that sometimes people may say things online that they would never say in real life which can be harmful.
I ran across the following poster which sums up digital citizenship perfectly: THINK before you click! Decide if what you are typing are the following things before posting them online.
I ran across the following poster which sums up digital citizenship perfectly: THINK before you click! Decide if what you are typing are the following things before posting them online.
Friday, November 2, 2012
#24- Techology in Special Education
Technology can play an intragural role in special education. In our class this summer, Sarah and me did a study and wrote a reasearch paper about how iPads can open a door for students with autism. We read several articles and watched videos of students who had never been able to communicate with anyone and through the use of speically designed apps, such as Proloquo2go were able to finally tell their caregivers what they wanted and needed. The clip below shows a child who is finally able to order at a restraunt and talk to his parents all because of an iPad app. Students who have been nonverbal have had other devices to communicate with, but none as affordable as the iPad. The affordability of the iPad makes it possible for more students with disabilities to learn and communicate.
Because iPads are the new and fun to use, there is not a stigma attached to the fact that a student may be using one. In fact, the rest of the students may ne jealous that they don't have one to use all of the time.
iPads are one of the only resources that are already loaded with features that can be used by individuals with disabilities. You can make the text larger and sound louder as well as many other things.
Click the link to watch the video:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7414970n&tag=contentBody;storyMediaBox
Because iPads are the new and fun to use, there is not a stigma attached to the fact that a student may be using one. In fact, the rest of the students may ne jealous that they don't have one to use all of the time.
iPads are one of the only resources that are already loaded with features that can be used by individuals with disabilities. You can make the text larger and sound louder as well as many other things.
Click the link to watch the video:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7414970n&tag=contentBody;storyMediaBox
#23- Student Choice- Boosterthon Raised More than Money
Did you know that teaching is a dangerous business? On Thursday I had my first (and hopefully last) on the job injury.
For the past week, the Boosterthon team has been pumping up the students to run the fun run. Yesterday morning the 2nd and 3rd grade students were excited to run their laps and earn their money. The teachers were lined up with Sharpies in hand ready to mark off the laps on the students' shirts.
About 32 laps in, I was bent over marking on a child's shirt when a student, running full speed ahead accidentally ran into me. His head hit the corner of mine. At first, it hurt so bad that I couldn't tell that it hurt. I asked the student if he was ok, he said yes, and kept on running. A minute or so later I asked Kim if she could see anything above my eye because I felt weird. By the time the race was over, I was in intense pain and couldn't hold back the tears.
I went straight to the nurse and the math coach took my class. In a time span of five minutes, the part of my face above my eyebrow was the size of half of a lemon. Needless to say, my mom had to come get me. I felt like I was 10 all over again! I had to keep ice on my face all day and night and sleep sitting up. By this morning, my eye was swelled shut and a lovely shade of purple. Now I can open it more, but blood has started to pool in the corner. Its just too bad that Halloween is already over!
Thursday Night
Today!
For the past week, the Boosterthon team has been pumping up the students to run the fun run. Yesterday morning the 2nd and 3rd grade students were excited to run their laps and earn their money. The teachers were lined up with Sharpies in hand ready to mark off the laps on the students' shirts.
About 32 laps in, I was bent over marking on a child's shirt when a student, running full speed ahead accidentally ran into me. His head hit the corner of mine. At first, it hurt so bad that I couldn't tell that it hurt. I asked the student if he was ok, he said yes, and kept on running. A minute or so later I asked Kim if she could see anything above my eye because I felt weird. By the time the race was over, I was in intense pain and couldn't hold back the tears.
I went straight to the nurse and the math coach took my class. In a time span of five minutes, the part of my face above my eyebrow was the size of half of a lemon. Needless to say, my mom had to come get me. I felt like I was 10 all over again! I had to keep ice on my face all day and night and sleep sitting up. By this morning, my eye was swelled shut and a lovely shade of purple. Now I can open it more, but blood has started to pool in the corner. Its just too bad that Halloween is already over!
Thursday Night
Today!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
#22- Discuss the Flipped Classroom
This is a topic that I had to do some research on before writing about. I'd heard about Kahn Academy and other programs like it, and I'd herd the term the flipped classroom, but didn't really know what it was.
So I decided to watch a few videos to learn more.
So I decided to watch a few videos to learn more.
Little did I know that the flipped classroom has a video component to it. The flipped classroom is a model that some teachers use to differentiate and deliver instruction. The instructors film a video with the daily lesson. Students can watch the lecture where ever and whenever. Students come in to class with questions to help guide instruction the next day. The flipped classroom allows students to engage and promote their own learning.
The first video is interesting because it explains what the flipped video isn't. I was surprised to learn that the Kahn Academy is NOT like the flipped classroom because classroom teachers are the ones who are the creators of the videos.
The goal of the flipped classroom is for students to come to class with prior knowledge of the content already established. While in the classroom, the teacher provides meaningful learning opportunities for the students to go further with the content presented in the videos. It allows the teacher to assist students where needed, to clear up any misconceptions, and it allows the students to play the "learner" instead of playing "school."
#21- Student Choice- Plant Update!
Our classroom must be full of "green thumbs" because our Brassica rapas are already growing! We planted our seeds on Tuesday, and by Wednesday night when I left school, our plants were sprouting. The picture below shows the seed coat splitting open and the plant sprouting from the seed.October 17 (evening)
Today the students noticed that our plants are growing taller and taller! They also noticed that true leaves are starting to emerge from the stem. They even noticed that some of the seed coats were still attached to the true leaves. CJ compared the seed coat spitting open to a caterpillar busting out of its chrysalis to become a butterfly. The students are all curious as to when we will begin to see buds and yellow petals!
We hope that you will come by and see our Brassica rapas and all of the things we have been learning about plants at Open House tomorrow night!
October 22:
#20- Barriers of Technology in Education
There are several barriers to using technology in education. Some of these include funding, infrastructure of the schools, and teacher attitudes toward using new technology.
Before technology can be introduced in the school, it must be purchased. Unfortunately we are in the days of proration, so schools must be creative in acquiring technology. If the school is Title 1, funds can be allocated to the use of technology. Schools can hold fundraisers such as 10 for Technology to earn funding. Our school is currently using the Boosterthon Fun Run fundraiser to earn money for new technology such as additional iPads in our school. Funding can also acquired through grants and asking local legislatures for money.
At our school, infrastructure is a problem. It seems like the wireless in our school is not working every other day. We also just got wireless access to the portables. I spent two years in my portable with Ethernet cords spanning the floors. In my classroom, I only have two outlets that are hidden in the back corner of my classroom. In order to use the technology I have, I had to purchase a 50 foot extension cord and have the janitors run it through the ceiling and drop it down in to the middle of my classroom. It is hard to use the technology when the buildings do not support the technology.
Another barrier that can be faced when using technology in education are the educator's feelings toward the technology. I feel that with adequate on going and relevant professional development, teachers feelings can be positive. When teachers are unsure how to use the technology and feel overwhelmed with the burden of teaching themselves to use the technology, their attitudes can be negative. Also with someone like a technology coach to provide individualized technology assistance and to help troubleshoot problems, resistance by the teacher can be minimal.
Before technology can be introduced in the school, it must be purchased. Unfortunately we are in the days of proration, so schools must be creative in acquiring technology. If the school is Title 1, funds can be allocated to the use of technology. Schools can hold fundraisers such as 10 for Technology to earn funding. Our school is currently using the Boosterthon Fun Run fundraiser to earn money for new technology such as additional iPads in our school. Funding can also acquired through grants and asking local legislatures for money.
At our school, infrastructure is a problem. It seems like the wireless in our school is not working every other day. We also just got wireless access to the portables. I spent two years in my portable with Ethernet cords spanning the floors. In my classroom, I only have two outlets that are hidden in the back corner of my classroom. In order to use the technology I have, I had to purchase a 50 foot extension cord and have the janitors run it through the ceiling and drop it down in to the middle of my classroom. It is hard to use the technology when the buildings do not support the technology.
Another barrier that can be faced when using technology in education are the educator's feelings toward the technology. I feel that with adequate on going and relevant professional development, teachers feelings can be positive. When teachers are unsure how to use the technology and feel overwhelmed with the burden of teaching themselves to use the technology, their attitudes can be negative. Also with someone like a technology coach to provide individualized technology assistance and to help troubleshoot problems, resistance by the teacher can be minimal.
#19- Does Technology Help or Harm Literacy?
Does technology help or harm literacy? The answer is simple, in my experience, technology defiantly helps literacy. Does technology replace reading instruction? NO, but technology can enhance reading and language instruction through the use of apps, computer programs, and Web 2.0 tools.
For starters, not all students learn the same way. Some students thrive on lecture based instruction, but the majority need hands on experience to truly gain the knowledge needed to succeed. Technology gives students hands on practice in a fun, motivational way. There are many apps available to practice basic literacy skills. My students have used apps such as My Story and Storyrobe to create their own stories and present them in a digital storytelling format.
Computer programs such as Earobics allow students who need additional phonemic awareness experience to practice hearing and identifying sounds. This can be very helpful to students with IEPs as this program is tailored to their instructional needs and increases and decreases the difficultly level based on the students responses to the questions.
The are hundreds of Web 2.0 tools that can be used to increase literacy skills. Sites such as Wordle, Glogster, and others encourage vocabulary development.
The bottom line is that students today learn differently than they used to. They are a generation of digital learners and any time we as teachers can use technology tools to help aid in instruction, the more the students will learn.
For starters, not all students learn the same way. Some students thrive on lecture based instruction, but the majority need hands on experience to truly gain the knowledge needed to succeed. Technology gives students hands on practice in a fun, motivational way. There are many apps available to practice basic literacy skills. My students have used apps such as My Story and Storyrobe to create their own stories and present them in a digital storytelling format.
Computer programs such as Earobics allow students who need additional phonemic awareness experience to practice hearing and identifying sounds. This can be very helpful to students with IEPs as this program is tailored to their instructional needs and increases and decreases the difficultly level based on the students responses to the questions.
The are hundreds of Web 2.0 tools that can be used to increase literacy skills. Sites such as Wordle, Glogster, and others encourage vocabulary development.
The bottom line is that students today learn differently than they used to. They are a generation of digital learners and any time we as teachers can use technology tools to help aid in instruction, the more the students will learn.
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