Thursday, March 11, 2010
End of the Class (811) Reflection
During this course, I learned that different teaching strategies need to be used interchangeably to reach maximum student potential. Many teachers think that using the deductive approach will get the job done but it won't. Everything I learned from this course I want to incorporate into my classroom-blogs for parents, creating various webquests, and the StAIR project. I now feel very comfortable in creating a StAIR and I am excited to create more for my students. Being able to view other peoples blogs, webquests, and StAIRs helped me critique my own and give me knowledge what quality/effectiveness should be when it comes to them. What I wanted to get out of this course was new ideas involving technology that will strengthen the skills for my students and that has been accomplished. I now have so many new tools, ideas, and skills I can use and I even think I can get my anti-technology coworkers to try some of them out. I want to keep continuing learning new concepts and approaches to make myself better and I know this will happen as I continue on with this masters program at MSU.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Online Learning
WebQuests are something I am for sure going to create and integrate into my classroom. I think they will help tremendously with Science and Social Studies, two subjects my students struggle with the most. My students also need help with following directions and navigating the Internet, which WebQuests will assist with as well. Two types of pedagogical strategies I want to use with my students with these Webquests would be Problem Solving and the Deductive strategy.I also think my students could benefit with Online Field Trips, especially since I have an enormous Promethean Board in my classroom:) Its hard to leave the school to learn sometimes so this way the learning could come to us. Educational Blogs would be tremendously hard to do with my students. I teach in a very economically challenged environment. The majority of my students do not have a computer and if they do they don't have Internet. The class I have now is the most challenging class Ive had in my five years of teaching. Most do not have proficient keyboarding skills, which is something we are working on now. Socially, they have a really hard time getting along, working together and respecting each other. Unfortunately, I fear my students would use the blog to post inappropiate comments that were not school related.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Google Presenter
Google Presenter
Google Presenter is a web-based 2.0 application developed by Google in the fall of 2007. Google Presenter allows people from different locations to look at, comment, and work on a project. Everyone in a group can login to Google Presenter and upload a slideshow they are working on or create and start a new one. This application allows people to work from different locations and different computers without constant e-mailing back and forth. It saves presentations every time they are updated. Now this application allows PowerPoints to be uploaded. Group members of the presentation can either just "view" or "view and edit." There is also a sidebar for group members to talk about the presentation.
For students to be able to use this, they would need to have a Google account and knowledge of how to use and navigate Google Docs. They would also need to have experience with Presenter to be able to view, edit, and communicate with group members. As stated above, Presenter is an application to collaboratively work on a presentation with group members so items either uploaded or created are constantly being viewed by everyone working on the project. This application, I feel, can be used with students regarding any subject involving group projects assigned in class or outside of class. Students can use Presenter to work on group projects at home for in class projects or with other teachers/support staff and in different places in the school. Presenter can also be used for group activities assigned outside of class and each student can work from where they choose. The teacher can have a Google account to "view" the presentation and see who is doing what and also communicate/offer suggestions with the group in the sidebar option. The main idea behind Presenter is to allow groups to collaborate on a project when they can't physically be together to work on it. If a teacher decides to use Presenter with group activities, all students obviously need very good knowledge on how to use Presenter as well as reliable Internet/computer availability. Also, if a teacher chooses to use this, they need to check each groups presentation often to see if work is happening, if everyone is participating, etc.
Google Presenter is a web-based 2.0 application developed by Google in the fall of 2007. Google Presenter allows people from different locations to look at, comment, and work on a project. Everyone in a group can login to Google Presenter and upload a slideshow they are working on or create and start a new one. This application allows people to work from different locations and different computers without constant e-mailing back and forth. It saves presentations every time they are updated. Now this application allows PowerPoints to be uploaded. Group members of the presentation can either just "view" or "view and edit." There is also a sidebar for group members to talk about the presentation.
For students to be able to use this, they would need to have a Google account and knowledge of how to use and navigate Google Docs. They would also need to have experience with Presenter to be able to view, edit, and communicate with group members. As stated above, Presenter is an application to collaboratively work on a presentation with group members so items either uploaded or created are constantly being viewed by everyone working on the project. This application, I feel, can be used with students regarding any subject involving group projects assigned in class or outside of class. Students can use Presenter to work on group projects at home for in class projects or with other teachers/support staff and in different places in the school. Presenter can also be used for group activities assigned outside of class and each student can work from where they choose. The teacher can have a Google account to "view" the presentation and see who is doing what and also communicate/offer suggestions with the group in the sidebar option. The main idea behind Presenter is to allow groups to collaborate on a project when they can't physically be together to work on it. If a teacher decides to use Presenter with group activities, all students obviously need very good knowledge on how to use Presenter as well as reliable Internet/computer availability. Also, if a teacher chooses to use this, they need to check each groups presentation often to see if work is happening, if everyone is participating, etc.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Blogs in the Classroom
With the level of my students, I don't know about blogs in my classroom with my students but I do see them useful when it comes to communicating with parents and colleagues. It would be good with fellow colleagues when it comes to what is going on in each others classrooms to coordinate lessons/ create cross-curricular lessons. Also, to share ideas, lessons, resources, websites etc. I think a blog just for parents would be cool. Talk about assignments, give homework help, communicate regarding class activities/parties/field trips etc.
Screen Shot
Ok, I feel like a moron! I took a screen shot of my school Wiki. How to I attach it to my blog post!
My school Wiki/My Wiki
I knew my school wouldn't have a Wiki, so I made one. I just put our general information that is on our website on it. I am going to mention it to my staff at our next staff meeting and hopefully we can all add to it.
ABT Elementary Wiki: http://allysondewar.wikispaces.com/ABTElementarySchoolDearbornMi
My personal Wiki is located at http://allysondewar.wikispaces.com/
ABT Elementary Wiki: http://allysondewar.wikispaces.com/ABTElementarySchoolDearbornMi
My personal Wiki is located at http://allysondewar.wikispaces.com/
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Additional considerations made when creating computer based objects for students to use independently.
Some things to consider when creating something like a StAIR or webquest:
1. Are the technology resources available to you are reliable? Students are to be able to do this independently. Are you going to have to keep running over to assist them due to tech issues?
2. Again, students are to be able to do this independently. Thus, each activity needs to be designed to specific students needs in order for that to happen. For any topic I cover in my 5th grade class, if I did a webquest or a StAIR, Id have to make 2 versions because I have 10 out of 30 in my class special ed and those ten have a reading level from K-2.
3. Does it support student thinking, critical thinking?
4. Is it time efficient?
5. Is it engaging and motivational?
6. Is the information relevant?
7. Are there specific learning objectives? An evaluation? Rubrics?
Webquests that caught my attention:
Totem Poles of the Northwest
http://www.southernct.edu/~ils6936/totem_poles/webquest.htm
Explorers Webquest
http://jleahy.com/files/webquests/explorers/index.htm
I selected these two because they were pretty cool and related to 5th grade social studies. Due to most of my students reading below grade level, social studies text is very difficult for them to read and comprehend. Thus anything to aide with that is always of interest to me.
1. Are the technology resources available to you are reliable? Students are to be able to do this independently. Are you going to have to keep running over to assist them due to tech issues?
2. Again, students are to be able to do this independently. Thus, each activity needs to be designed to specific students needs in order for that to happen. For any topic I cover in my 5th grade class, if I did a webquest or a StAIR, Id have to make 2 versions because I have 10 out of 30 in my class special ed and those ten have a reading level from K-2.
3. Does it support student thinking, critical thinking?
4. Is it time efficient?
5. Is it engaging and motivational?
6. Is the information relevant?
7. Are there specific learning objectives? An evaluation? Rubrics?
Webquests that caught my attention:
Totem Poles of the Northwest
http://www.southernct.edu/~ils6936/totem_poles/webquest.htm
Explorers Webquest
http://jleahy.com/files/webquests/explorers/index.htm
I selected these two because they were pretty cool and related to 5th grade social studies. Due to most of my students reading below grade level, social studies text is very difficult for them to read and comprehend. Thus anything to aide with that is always of interest to me.
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