Today Blakelee and I presented our Web 2.0 tool presentation on "Delicious!" I am very glad I picked Delicious for my web 2.0 tool. It is not only a simple tool, but I have already implemented it into my everyday use.
Delicious is a social book-marking website where you can save bookmarks to a website where you have an account and can access from any computer. Gone are the days when the only bookmarks you have are chained to your personal computer, with Delicious you can pull up research articles anywhere there is an internet connection.
This is a great tool for the classroom. It saves SO MUCH time for teachers, allowing them to save pictures or articles they want to show their class and can pull up immediately, or work as a tool for collaboration between colleagues. You can add friends to your Delicious account and share links. Don't ever save links to emails and send them back and forth ever again!
I am extremely glad to have learned about Delicious. It has already helped me in my education classes. I research links in my dorm room, save them to Delicious, and then the next day when I go to the library I can pull up my Delicious site and work on them immediately.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Requirements
Bill was not here today, which was sad. But we got to meet Prof. O'Bannon, and boy did she put us to work! I know that we were supposed to go to the TEC Lab to find materials to find materials to start making our lesson plan, but....as you know from my title....my technological savvy is not the best, so when Dr. O'Bannon began rapid-fire questioning us about our progress in class, I believe all the knowledge I had gained leapt out the window as I panicked to think of all of the professional terms I needed to know. Bill is always so patient and goes at our pace, which I'm sure must irritate him at times, but he was definitely missed!
This lesson was spent working on creating our wiki's for our Web 2.0 presentations. I was supposed to present today, but had not accurately completed the assignment so Dr. O'Bannon allowed me and Blakelee to wait for the next week. Although it was a tough lesson, I feel caught up on the requirements for the course. But I am ready for Bill to return with the pace I can handle. =)
This lesson was spent working on creating our wiki's for our Web 2.0 presentations. I was supposed to present today, but had not accurately completed the assignment so Dr. O'Bannon allowed me and Blakelee to wait for the next week. Although it was a tough lesson, I feel caught up on the requirements for the course. But I am ready for Bill to return with the pace I can handle. =)
Everybody wants to be a Rockstar!
Today in class we learned how to compose a lesson plan using websites and information sources for research. Before starting in my elementary cohort this semester, I had NO idea about how much effort and intricate planning go into preparing lessons. There are so many guidelines and standards which all have to be met...needless to say it is a very daunting task. I have struggled with my first direct lesson, so learning about how technology could be a tool to help me in this area was a big help.
The web offers an enormous amount of information on lesson planning. The job of the teacher is to make sure that they research websites correctly to prove their validity and determine whether or not they will promote advanced research and learning.
I worked alone doing the Rockstar sheet, which was an assignment using the web to answer questions on a hand-out. But the answers weren't just cut-and-dry, you had to actively choose the one you thought was the most accurate and represented to material best.
The web offers an enormous amount of information on lesson planning. The job of the teacher is to make sure that they research websites correctly to prove their validity and determine whether or not they will promote advanced research and learning.
I worked alone doing the Rockstar sheet, which was an assignment using the web to answer questions on a hand-out. But the answers weren't just cut-and-dry, you had to actively choose the one you thought was the most accurate and represented to material best.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Understanding Webquests
I feel that learning about webquests and their ways to aid classroom projects was a good use of classroom time and I know that I will use these in my future classroom. Since going into the schools these past few weeks, my anxiousness regarding my preparedness in terms of materials and lesson plans has increased dramatically.
But being able to see utilize webquests has calmed me down slightly, as the web has provided ready-made group projects that I can critique and tweak to my liking. This is going to make the future at least a little easier. =)
But being able to see utilize webquests has calmed me down slightly, as the web has provided ready-made group projects that I can critique and tweak to my liking. This is going to make the future at least a little easier. =)
Webquest: Propel - Human Body Systems
http://questgarden.com/91/10/6/110129122419/
This project is for students between grades 4-6. It takes a change from looking at the world around us and focusing on the mechanics that happen inside of our body. This webquest challenges students to explore their inner body systems!
Work will be done in partners and pairs will choose a body system to research. Learners have the option of studying the Nervous System, Skeletal System, Circulatory System, Respiratory System, Digestive System, or Immune System. After researching the internet for information on their topic, pairs will make a powerpoint to teach the class about the particular body system.
The webquest offers extensive research materials on each body system being studied, and the links are easy to find and use. Even when the learner is on the links, there are fun and interactive ways to learn the material presented.
As a teacher I think that learners should be able to know about their body and get a firm understanding of the importance of their health. This webquest is a great opportunity to work on higher-ordert thinking and expand knowledge about the body learners could immediately utilize to help themselves. The webquest is set out in a very simplistic manner, yet is still interesting and colorful.
The rubrics given demand that thorough knowledge of the content be acquired before higher grades be given.
I would use this webquest in the future, as I am not very familiar with the human body, and feel like this is a site that I could benefit from, as well as my students.
This project is for students between grades 4-6. It takes a change from looking at the world around us and focusing on the mechanics that happen inside of our body. This webquest challenges students to explore their inner body systems!
Work will be done in partners and pairs will choose a body system to research. Learners have the option of studying the Nervous System, Skeletal System, Circulatory System, Respiratory System, Digestive System, or Immune System. After researching the internet for information on their topic, pairs will make a powerpoint to teach the class about the particular body system.
The webquest offers extensive research materials on each body system being studied, and the links are easy to find and use. Even when the learner is on the links, there are fun and interactive ways to learn the material presented.
As a teacher I think that learners should be able to know about their body and get a firm understanding of the importance of their health. This webquest is a great opportunity to work on higher-ordert thinking and expand knowledge about the body learners could immediately utilize to help themselves. The webquest is set out in a very simplistic manner, yet is still interesting and colorful.
The rubrics given demand that thorough knowledge of the content be acquired before higher grades be given.
I would use this webquest in the future, as I am not very familiar with the human body, and feel like this is a site that I could benefit from, as well as my students.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Teachers Helping Teachers
Our assignment in class last week was to consider all of the elements involved with choosing and critiquing a web page that you will use in the classroom. We were allowed to choose any web site on the internet for our assignment. This proved to be a bit of a challenge because since this is a piece of work I will be graded on, I wanted the perfect website. The unfortunate part of this story is that you could spend years searching for the "perfect" website...and I only had an hour and a half. I initially was going to choose a site through our materials given by Kathy Schrock, and found one made by teachers that gave great ice-breakers for the first day of school, but I wanted something with a little more information.
That's when I went back to our dear friend, Google, and typed in 'teaching websites'. This opened the floodgates and thousands of options were available. But part of the assignment was to prove the validity of the website and search through it to find out whether the information you're getting has been accounted for by a body of education.
I finally chose a site called "Teachers Helping Teachers." It was created by the director of the Pacific Singers Musical Theatre Group, a man named Dr. Scott Mandel. The site is basically a place where teachers can come and post any lesson plans on any subject and use any of the lessons already posted for their classrooms. It has been in use for 15 years, and teachers from all over the country take advantage of this resource. All educators that leave lesson plans have to post their name, email, and name of the school or teaching status. I enjoyed reading all of the different ideas and can see myself using this resource in the future for my classroom.
That's when I went back to our dear friend, Google, and typed in 'teaching websites'. This opened the floodgates and thousands of options were available. But part of the assignment was to prove the validity of the website and search through it to find out whether the information you're getting has been accounted for by a body of education.
I finally chose a site called "Teachers Helping Teachers." It was created by the director of the Pacific Singers Musical Theatre Group, a man named Dr. Scott Mandel. The site is basically a place where teachers can come and post any lesson plans on any subject and use any of the lessons already posted for their classrooms. It has been in use for 15 years, and teachers from all over the country take advantage of this resource. All educators that leave lesson plans have to post their name, email, and name of the school or teaching status. I enjoyed reading all of the different ideas and can see myself using this resource in the future for my classroom.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Settling In
The initial hustle and bustle of the semester has faded. I've successfully been to all of my classes and managed to get the general feel of the kind of effort necessary for success this Spring. I've really been enjoying my education classes. The Urban/Multicultural cohort has been a great fit for my personality, but I think one reason is that the professors have been so amazing. I finally escaped from the mass chaos that is the department of Arts&Sciences and realized my motivation levels have perked up along with my interest in class. Going into the schools last week was an amazing experience. I was with 2nd grade teacher Rebecca Tipton, and she just lifted my spirits with her encouragement. Her class adores her and rightfully so. She is obsessed with Australia and there are literally over 200 stuffed kangaroos in this little prefab. Her gentle approach to dealing with her students takes an incredible amount of patience and determination. I feel so blessed to be able to work and learn beside her for these next two weeks.
I'm pretty pumped about having a blog...even if I'm still trying to figure out to use it. Bless you, Bill, you've got a tough job getting this old African to master the world wide web.
I'm pretty pumped about having a blog...even if I'm still trying to figure out to use it. Bless you, Bill, you've got a tough job getting this old African to master the world wide web.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)