post #10

Post #10 Prompt
1 paragraph on topics you found most interesting from reviewing your classmates’ blogs.
1 paragraph on what technology-related skill you would most like to learn next, and why.
1 paragraph on ways in which you might achieve your future educational technology-related goals.

I think that a lot of my classmates share my concerns about internet safty and the importance of a vigelant teacher when useing internet technology. I think others would also agree that technology is wonderful but it has to be used responsibly and that it is not the answere to everything. The teacher must properly incorporte the technology into his/her classroom.
I would like to increase my knowledge of web-based classroom technology. To have a class web-site helps in my opinion to maintain communication between parents, teachers, and students. But it is also essential to know and understand any of the programs that I may ask my students to know and use. Because should they have a problem I need to be able to help them to overcome the problem.
Technology is a great thing, however it must be used responsibliy. It is most useful when used in conjuction with normal everyday classroom activities. While I will not be teaching what would normally considered a technology intensive course I will still be able to integrate technology into my classroom.

Post #9

Post #9 Prompt

A 2-paragraph review of an interesting web-based tool or resource that you might use when teaching. Be sure to include a link to the tool or resource, and check out the ones that your classmates have shared as well.

A paragraph about how you think you will use Excel and similar programs as a teacher (see Chapter 13). Be specific about your subject matter area and the grade level.

A paragraph about your final course project -- plans, challenges, etc

http://www.wikispaces.com/

I think that wikis can be very useful in your classroom. They can allow for communication to thrive between you, your students, and the parents of your students. And while they may be a little extra work in the beginning. They can help to save you time time by making resources accessible to your students and their parents without them having to contact you. They would be able to easily see assignments they may have missed or check on homework assigned in class. You can place the responsibility for information on the parents instead of on the students. The parents would have no excuse for not knowing about projects or upcoming tests.

You can link with your fellow teachers and that may help to synchronize your work. And it could allow your students to easily access information which in turn will help them. Because we all know that the easier something is for the student the more likely they are to actually do it. Plus they might think it is col to have a class web-site.

Excel can be a very useful tool in the classroom. But I think the problem faced by many is that they overuse it. Or they make it too complicated by doing all kinds of different formulas. Also many schools have now gone to an internet based grading system which if used correctly can replace excel by doing all of the same features. Plus the online program is integrated into the County's grade submission system and as such is like one-stop shopping. In that you record grades, take attendance, and submit your grades all in the same place.

The final project in my opinion is practical because it something that you may very well be asked to do in your profession. A lot of the money spent on technology in schools comes from grants or special programs. These programs have to be applied for so it is a good exercise to learn how to do this research. And also how to present it in order to make the most out of the presentation.

Post #8

Post #8 Prompt

A paragraph discussing and critiquing your own PowerPoint 2 assignment using the concepts addressed in Chapter 8. Work in some screen shots as examples.

A paragraph about how you might integrate peripherals and non-computer audio-visual technologies in your classroom. How might you use them with computer-based technologies?

A paragraph on new skills you acquired in the last week that you think will be especially useful to you in your educational career and why you think so.

I think my powerpoint 2 project went pretty well. I am not sure I would use this in my class but it might prove to be a nice reward system for my students. The reason I would hesitate to use this in my class because I think it is hard for you to animate a whole class. I would probably separate them into groups and have them play the game amongst themselves. And depending on the number of computers I have in my classroom that may not be possible.

I am a fan of using movies in the classroom to introduce or finish out a chapter or subject. Of course the students will not just watch the video they will have to answer questions about the not just the movie but the subject we are covering.

I rthink one of the most interesting things I learned last week would be the ability to link slides together into the presentation which may prove to be very useful. In that the slides may not always be in the exact order that I want to present them. And if there are slides that have to be seen together then you can link htem so that they will always be seen together.

Post #7

Post #7 Prompt

A paragraph on what you feel are the biggest advantages and disadvantages of using presentation software in the K-12 classroom.

A paragraph on how you might use PowerPoint to support student learning at each knowledge dimension in a particular lesson. Be explicit in your example! Use Chapter 5 and online resources.

A paragraph on an issue related to educational technology that now interests you. You may provide information, ask questions, include links, etc.

One of the biggest disadvantages is also one of the advantages of using a presentation in class. And that in my opinion is attention. You want to keep the attention of your students, but if you try too hard than the students get overstimulated. They no longer pay as much atention and they fail to absorb the information you are giving them.

Power point can be used as notes for your students, as an introduction to introduce your students to new information, or even as an alternative to using a whiteboard. It is all in how you choose to use it. Yet as mentioned earlier you do not want to overuse it

A new technology that interests me are the virtual whiteboards that are becoming more and more prevalent in the classroom. I think they are so useful for both the teacher and the tudent because it allows the teacher to easily save the notes on the board, or the studetn or teacher to directly interact with the information on the board.