Lesson plan on Wordle example

Wordle

Final Reflection

I felt that through taking the class CEP 810 I have both grown as a teacher and as a student of technology. The sessions each week were displayed in a way that many learning styles were able to be met. The videos were able to clarify and enhance concepts that I either had little knowledge on or that were a bit confusing. There were many technology concepts that I was able to either use myself, use in my classroom, or will try it in the future. I feel that my growth was supported by actually being able to try many concepts, such as Zoho, Jing, and Prezi. Part of my personal growth plan earlier in the semester was to use technology in three ways. They were to: expand my growth in using technology, to use one new technology concept in my classroom each week, and to share new technology with my peers at work.

These were the technology concepts that I brought into my classroom:

1. Jing: I used this to capture images of students drawing food chains on our interactive white board. We then came back to the images and used the editing tool to turn the food chain into a food web.
2. Ideas from a blog that I followed: There was a blog that showed ideas for kindergarten. Our classroom, is buddies with a kindergarten classroom and for a craft we used the idea of creating a brace map to display the parts of a scarecrow.
3. RSS feed ideas: I have used videos from my RSS feed in the classroom. Some include: synonym game and place value site.
4. Creative Commons: Students have practiced siting images they have used from the internet when working in groups.
5. Prezi: I created a storyboard for the book we read "Our Only May Amelia."
6. http://www.visuwords.com/ I used this with book clubs on new vocabulary they came across as they read.
7. I created a Smilebox creation depicting highlights from our Halloween party.

These were the technology concepts I shared with peers at my school:

1. Google Docs
2. Prezi
3. Jing
4. RSS feeds
5. Delicious bookmarks

These were the technology concepts that I have continued to use in my everyday life:

1. TPACK to help with my organization
2. Google Docs, Google Reader, and Google Presentation
3. Jing
4. Delcious bookmarks
5. Interactive Whiteboard information from the SIG presentations

I feel that I would have liked to grow a little more in understanding cloud computing. I tried to do some of my own research to better understand the concept and some of the apps available for teaching. I felt that my limitation to learning more about cloud computing was that since I only really understand it in the world of Google apps that I am constricted when trying to learn about it in other ways.

I also would have liked to learn more lessons that I could actually integrate into the classroom. There were a lot of technology resources available throughout the course but I felt that they were more helpful on an individual basis. However, I found discussion forum for lessons that integrated NETS-S resourceful.

Some concepts that I have learned about effective teaching strategies when integrating technology are that first using it through modeling and then slowly releasing responsibility demonstrates scaffolding. Also, having students work in groups allow for them to problem solve first amongst themselves compared to coming straight to the teacher. One of my goals in my personal growth plan was for the students to have more self-discovery compared to me jumping into help and explaining each time. Since the course started I have released more technology responsibility to the students. I always model first so they can see the goal of the lesson in action. Students have been using some ideas that I got from MSU EduTech on MACUL Space. An example of this is that they have been doing group presentations using Prezi about long vowel words.

Integrating the Internet has helped me to think and evaluate the uses of technology in the fact that there are so many resources out there. From following a few 4th grade blogs, I was able to gain some sites to use in my classroom for all subjects. I even was able to uses a few sites on the same concept, such as place value and vocabulary. Also, I have become more aware of the fact that I need to have a critical eye when using the Internet since there is so much out there. Using quality control is really important so that they the technology used in the classroom is actually enhancing learning and not hampering or wasting valuable class time just to say it was utilized.

I feel that the assignment that I turned in that really exemplified good teaching with technology was the Personal Learning Network Visualization Plan. I like to use project based learning as much as possible. I feel that this project was opened ended so that I, as a student, could use the type of technology that meshes best with my learning style. I decided to use iMovie since integrating sound, pictures, and movement is very hands on.

I also found that the SIG project was an amazing opportunity. I was very hesitant to learn that there would be an online group project. I did not know how this could be possible. However, through the use of Google Docs, Google Presentation, and especially Google Chat, our group came together. It was incredible to see our group talking to one another online while we edited our project. It truly showed that online collaboration is possible.

As I look back at my Personal Growth Plan, I had three main goals. One was to integrate at least one new technology each week in my classroom so that students could have more self-discovery compared to being so teacher directed. A second was to share technology tips with peers at my school. Finally, the third was to increase my technology skill set. As highlighted above I was able to meet all of these goals. I feel that I became well rounded from this class since my goals were not only centered around my classroom or myself, but also to share technology tips with my peers. I even have shown my family some new sites and tips that awed them, such as Jing and Delicious.

A new goal I have for myself is to begin a blog for my classroom as noted in my Technology Plan. I feel that it would be beneficial for parents and other educators to gain an insight into our classroom each day. I see it starting as teacher directed but then students could take turns writing a post about each day of school. I will reach this goal by continuing to look at mentor blogs, such as the 4th grade blogs I follow on my Google Reader. I will also try to gain feedback from families and teachers at school as to the type of information they would like to see in the blog.

My long-term goal after this course is to continue widening the scope of my technology knowledge. I signed up to take CEP 811 in the spring and will take CEP 812 in the summer. I plan to keep integrating technology into my classroom daily and hope there will be professional development opportunities possible each year. I became more confident in my use of technology throughout this course and believe it will continue to grow and expand.

Learning Styles

My learning styles:

• Tactile/Kinesthetic
• Visual

Types of teaching strategies more effective to my learning style:

• Tactile/Kinesthetic: Hands-on approach, exploration of what is being taught, many breaks, listening to music while working, skimming thought materials before really digging into it, and making around to learn new things.
• Visual: Being able to see everything that is going on. May visual displays such as charts, diagrams, illustrations, videos, notes, hand-outs, and other images. Taking detailed notes with highlighting important details.

Types of teaching strategies less effective to my learning style:

• Tactile/Kinesthetic: Sitting for a long time, not being about to explore myself, and listening for long periods of time.
• Visual: Listening without any visual representations, many verbal distractions, images without pictures and diagrams,

We can't teach each lesson focusing on every learning style that we have in the classroom. What should be our focus instead?

• In each lesson it would be beneficial to have visual, auditory, and tactile elements to the lesson. When giving directions you can orally say them, write them on the board, and also have the kids practice them by moving.
• You can make sure that students have a chance to work independently, with pairs, and with materials so that students can watch, listen and actively participate.
• Visual learners make of many of the population then auditory and then tactile. However, all three styles should be in each lesson to best meet the needs of as many students as possible.

Creative Commons Lab

**I had to change my image since the Lansing Capital Building image was not allowed to be downloaded.

Photo Attribution

Original image: "The mascot pup after a bath in 1943"

Image Url: http://www.flickr.com/photos/australian-war-memorial/3526345203/

By: Ronald Keith Monro

License URL: http://www.awm.gov.au/about/copyright/index.asp

Image

Photo Attribution

Original image: "Michigan State Capital"

Image URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/larrythebiker/47034025/

By: Larry the Biker

License URL: http://www.flickr.com/help/general/#147

I use images in my classroom all the time. Just today we read a book about tap dancing and most of my students have not seen this before. I shared both images from my Google search and videos from You Tube. Students then asked if they could have them put up on our classroom sites so they could view them at home. The copyright of these are important to know since I was sharing them with my class and then they might be sharing these with others.

I would use this image in my classroom since we are currently learning about the Michigan government. Most students have not traveled outside of the town they currently live in and would be interested to see what an actual capital building looks like. I could use this image to compare and contrast how the city town hall looks in the area which the students go to school at compared to the Lansing State Capital. It would be important to share with the students that I did not take this photo since credit is due to the correct person. I would share the cite of this image with them so they understand more about citing and the responsibility with it.

From cep 810

From cep 810

PC Maintenance and Security

Tutorial 1: : Explaining Cookies.

One thing that I learned that I would like to share with others is that cookies are small information bites that are placed on your computer and this is how websites keep track of you. There are two types persistent cookies and session cookies. Persistent cookies are ones that track your interactions on a site each time you visit and session cookies only track each individual session separately.

I was surprised to learn that cookies are what track and remember your name when you come back to a site. The example the tutorial gave was that when you set up an account with amazon and make a few purchases and come back in to login into the site it welcomes you with your name and suggested items to purchase based on past items bought. When I completed my online Scholastic book order this morning cookies tracked my previous purchase also an suggested books to buy.

Tutorial 2: Sandboxie

I think it is important to know about this product since it can be downloaded from the Internet and its purpose is for information from the Internet to not go straight back to your hard drive but to this program Sandboxie. You then have complete security on the Internet.

The thing that surprised me the most was that you can use this program through your web browser so that anything you click on or download does not come back to your hard drive but is stored in the Sandboxie.

Tutorial 3: Setting up preferences in Google search

You can filter searches in Google by clicking preferences and then following down until you get to filtering safe searches. Then there are three options and you can pick strict filtering.

I was surprised to hear that you can pick how many search results come up. The default is ten but there could be up to 100. It would be helpful to know this since it would connect with the type of searches a person does and how time is available.

Tutorial 4: Malwear and how you get it

This word is defined as being "malicious software to destroy, wreak havoc, hide potentially incriminate information and and damage computer software." It is meat to "break your computer" and is an umbrella term for many examples of Malwear.

I was surprised to hear how you get it. It can come from downloaded pictures, games, and software. It can come from pop ups, emails, and peer to peer software sharing. These all can include viruses, even Instant Messenger can hurt your computer if your computer is not updated with anti-virus protection systems.

More reflection using the RSS Reader

Time is always precious when teaching, but when it comes to conference week this is even more true. I also had a new student start this week and in the midst of everything I was having some trouble connecting to him since he has been so shy and quiet. However, we had our book fair this week and he picked out a Goosebumps book. I remember from the Scholastic blog that I am following on my RSS Reader that the site had games and other activities about the Goosebumps that he had bought from the book fair. I was able at school during a snack break to quickly call him up to my desk to share this site.

First, I opened up my Google Reader. Then I scrolled down to the Scholastic blog and was able to get to the site to show him the interactive games that connected to his Goosebumps book. He lit up and I started to feel a connection. Since the site was on my RSS Reader and not saved to my bookmark bar bar on my MAC at home I was able to access the site anywhere.

The RSS feeds have saved me a lot of time when searching for ideas. I have been able to follow 4th grade blogs that have given me great sites to visit with my own 4th graders. I don't have to read through the whole blog but am able to just get the highlights with what I want to look more into. I also continue to follow a kindergarten website. My classroom is buddies with a kindergarten classroom in the school. I have been searching for a fall activity to do with both ages that is appropriate. The feed had pictures of scarecrows that a class made and then created it into a brace thinking map. I also was able to share this site with the kindergarten teacher since our school is working on using thinking maps. The teacher has been struggling with how to integrate it into her kindergarten curriculum and this site had a few appropriate examples. She then shared it with the other kindergarten teachers. This all was made possible since using the Google Reader.

Continuation of using the RSS feeder

As October is already upon us the some of the blogs and feeds that I am following are beginning to touch upon ideas and things going on this month. The Scholastic feed that I am following has a video interview with J.K. Rowling and also a video on a mall that has a Goosebumps Horror Land video. I am always trying to find ways to engage my readers. Many of my students follow series and would benefit from watching these videos as they continue to grow intrinsically as a reader by wanting themselves to read more. I often feel that my students read the books and get so attached to what is going on in the book that they glaze over the fact that it was written by someone. Each of my students are writers themselves and if they can begin to see the connection between their writing being read by others readers they can take literacy to the next level.

Using the Google Reader page to quickly see highlights of blogs and feeds have allowed me to have more technology integration in the classroom. It has also not taken up too much time. I am able to share more videos like the ones shared by Scholastic and game from Ms. O'Brien's blog. It has really taken motivation of my students and engagement to another level.