End-of-Term Reflection

Have you opinions about technology integration in education changed since the beginning of the term? Why or why not?
~My opinions about integration have changed for the better. I feel like it will be a lot *easier* to integrate than I thought it would be. I also was afraid that it would require a bigger budget than I now know it would. There are a ton of useful tools out there to use!


Identify one or more programs/web apps introduced this term you believe you'll use in your future classroom. Why will you use these programs/apps?
~I plan to use a ton of the apps that we learned about! I think the one that I will try and introduce early will be Prezi. As an alternative to powerpoint, I feel it is super-useful because it will make a presentation way more interesting. Print Page in IE

Students Using Technology

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Wordle

Answers to the question "What changes must take place in K-12 schools before educators can fully integrate and utilize technology?"

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Integrating Websites into the Classroom

My site was Kidnetic.com

Kidnetic is a website designed to get kids to eat right and get plenty of exercise. There are lots of games you can play at home, java applets that you can play along with as well as recipes for healthy snacks. The color scheme is a little ouchy to my aging eyes, but I'm sure kids would be drawn to it... There are also a lot of articles on various topics including self-esteem and body image, etc..

~What are two ways the site could be used in the classroom?
The Move Mixer specifically could be used as a way to get everyone moving together. Each week a different student could create a dance for the whole class to try.

The InnerG app could be used as a way to learn the parts of the body, and then, once learned, the kids could time one another to see who can replace all of the body parts fastest.

~How could the site be used to extend learning opportunities beyond the classroom?
There is a ton of outside-the-classroom stuff on this page. The recipes, obviously, aren't going to be something for the kids to do in class, but still are valuable as a way to learn what is "good" to eat. There are also a lot of exercise-type games that can be played in the household. Print Page in IE

Exploring Project-Based Learning

My Favorite project of the six, to my surprise, was the "Design a state-of-the-art High School" project.

~Why did you choose this project as your favorite of the six? Identify specific aspects that appeal to you.
I actually thought that I would be more drawn toward the Math project, but when I saw the website, it nearly killed me. What I liked about the Design a School project had a lot to do with the actual outcome. They collaborated with real architects to analyze whose design was the best! Additionally, as a geometry class, there would have needed to be a lot of "extra" learning that they would have to do in order to design a building, and I thought that was a good way to get them to think out of the box.

~Which higher-level thinking skills (from Bloom's Taxonomy) does the project utilize?
I would say that this project probably involves all of the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. Most obvious would be application, that is, using their geometry knowledge as a base for an architectural design. Additionally, this same effect could be an example of synthesis.

~What (if anything) about the project could be improved?
I felt like it would have helped a bit for the students to have access to CAD, or some sort of modeling software, but the expense of that makes it some what prohibitive. Print Page in IE

Reading Response 2

How do quality telecollaborative projects develop students’ critical thinking skills (the highest levels on the Bloom’s Taxonomy pyramid)?

I feel like the obvious answer to this question comes from the title of the top-most level of Bloom's Taxonomy. Evaluating is exactly what students are going to be doing when they work telecollaboratively. They'll be evaluating the work of their peers because they will have a collective grade to worry about. If they choose not to evaluate, they will suffer. Along that same vein, they will self-evaluate in order to make sure that their work is up to the par of the rest of the group members.

If there is some question as to which of the top levels of Bloom's Taxonomy is the highest, I suppose I should also address Synthesis. Synthesis is also necessary in a group telecollaboration because if you simply try to regurgitate things you've found, one of your group members (hopefully all of them) will call you on it.

Both of these things are examples of advanced use of critical thinking skills. If you don't *really* think about what someone is writing how can you evaluate it? And, if you don't really think about what you are reading, how can you synthesize it? In both cases, you cannot. Print Page in IE

Reading Response 1

Technology Past, Present and Future

Past:
In my K-12 education, I used technology pretty extensively. In 3rd grade we played the Oregon Trail game on old (old, old) computers. Moving into middle school, I began using the internet to do research for projects as well as word processing papers. In High school, I made a number of Power Point presentations.

Present:
Currently, I'm hoping for a smart board in the classroom. At the same time, in the elementary setting, there seems to be less use for such a lecture-centric tool as that. I could replace a journal element with a blog element. Additionally, youtube could be a good tool for combination education/learning. Example.

Future:
A big concern of mine, relating to technology and coming from a medium-to-high tech background, is that the in-class tech will be out of date or non-existent. I don't feel like each and every student would need to have a high-end gaming machine at home, but if I can't even have enough school computers so that my class can all do their research/word process, I'd be very sad. Print Page in IE