The thing that struck me the most about this week's reading was how well the project discussed teaches to different intelligences. The inclusion of field trips to the creek site and engaging with the environment teaches to naturalistic learners, as well as kinesthetic learners, while the use of statistical data and formulas appeals to logical learners. The creation of causal maps incorporates visual learning, and the use of small group work to prepare those maps appeals to interpersonal students. The presentation aspect can also appeal to interpersonal students and linguistic learners. Intrapersonal learners have plenty of opportunities to engage with the material one-on-one and to help get things done in a group setting. Musical learners could....write a song about the creek? I don't know, that one is tough.
The incorporation of technology in the classroom is what makes this project possible. By incorporating tools from the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment with a project inspired by the Aquatic Outreach Institute, Ms. Owen has enhanced her students' learning experience through the use of database tools. She also expresses interest in incorporating powerpoint into future iterations, which can also be good for visual learners, interpersonal learners, and linguistic learners.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Week 4 Blog (OMG I'm a Caveman LOL)
The only time I've ever used Excel for a practical purpose was when I worked for a construction company and they asked me to make a list of material prices for a job we were bidding on, so I didn't need to delve into the application's more robust features. Last week's class was a real eye opener for me because I learned how to put two cool programs through their paces. I won't talk about it too much because this blog is supposed to be about Excel, but I am looking forward to fiddling with Word to lay out a cool newsletter. But with Excel I was mostly surprised by how easy it is to set up charts with all sorts of useful information. If I had to do those kinds of charts by hand or with a less robust program I'd be sitting there with a calculator and scratch paper writing down totals and averages. I think the most interesting thing is that using Excel illustrated very clearly to me how technology can facilitate teaching and make the teacher's job less cluttered with busy work, but these programs and resources can't make me a better teacher by themselves. Every week I realize more and more how far I am from putting together a real plan for teaching. There are too many things that I haven't thought about or haven't thought about enough.
This week's article gave me a wake up call in that sense, as well. I'm on the Internet a lot and I know how to use a search engine. I also know that far too many people, even at the university level, rely too heavily on questionable internet sources in their research. But even though I'm aware of that danger, and I have a pretty good idea of how to avoid it, I haven't thought clearly about how I would steer young students through that minefield. I remember that when I was in high school my teachers had access to the Princeton Review and other pay databases, so I can hold out some hope that when I get a teaching assignment, my district will provide access to those resources. But what if I work in a district with a smaller budget and they don't provide me with resources that I can pass on to my students? I didn't know about Argos, but as an aspiring History teacher I'll definitely keep that one in mind, and Northern Lights sounds like a good resource, as well. In general, though, I feel like there's nothing wrong with learning how to use library resources effectively, and every school and most neighborhoods have some kind of library, so if I can't make sure that my students have access to reliable internet sources, they'll have to crack open the books.
This week's article gave me a wake up call in that sense, as well. I'm on the Internet a lot and I know how to use a search engine. I also know that far too many people, even at the university level, rely too heavily on questionable internet sources in their research. But even though I'm aware of that danger, and I have a pretty good idea of how to avoid it, I haven't thought clearly about how I would steer young students through that minefield. I remember that when I was in high school my teachers had access to the Princeton Review and other pay databases, so I can hold out some hope that when I get a teaching assignment, my district will provide access to those resources. But what if I work in a district with a smaller budget and they don't provide me with resources that I can pass on to my students? I didn't know about Argos, but as an aspiring History teacher I'll definitely keep that one in mind, and Northern Lights sounds like a good resource, as well. In general, though, I feel like there's nothing wrong with learning how to use library resources effectively, and every school and most neighborhoods have some kind of library, so if I can't make sure that my students have access to reliable internet sources, they'll have to crack open the books.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Week 3 Blog
I can relate to a lot of the things talked about in the online article, but I remember my computer experiences from elementary and middle school as being more recreational than educational. On page 9 the article mentions programs like Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?, as well as other familiar programs like Oregon Trail and other BASIC programs. I used those programs in 2nd and 3rd grade, but I remember them as being free time activities, not learning programs. But then again maybe the point was to get me to learn while having fun. The sad thing is I learned how to code in BASIC and to some extent in HTML, but that wasn't until 1999, when I was in high school. This article makes me wonder if my school districts weren't far behind the curve on integrating technology into the classroom.
I like the fact that this class is making me think a lot about the nuts and bolts of teaching. I had no idea how many online resources there are for planning lessons and setting up assignments. Rubistar, Taskstream, and the Yahoo teaching groups are all resources I'm sure I'll use to help make my first years in the classroom go much smoother. I guess what this weeks lessons taught me is how much I don't know about preparing to teach.
I like the fact that this class is making me think a lot about the nuts and bolts of teaching. I had no idea how many online resources there are for planning lessons and setting up assignments. Rubistar, Taskstream, and the Yahoo teaching groups are all resources I'm sure I'll use to help make my first years in the classroom go much smoother. I guess what this weeks lessons taught me is how much I don't know about preparing to teach.
Week 1 Blog
The first week of classes was somewhat difficult, largely because of all the new technology I found myself dealing with. Before this semester I had used webct in a very limited capacity and figuring out the interface took some time, but once I learned where everything was located, navigating through the different modules and using all of the features has become a non-issue. I'm impressed by how much easier it is to keep track and complete assignments on webct. I'm eager to make full use of the different accessories on Taskstream and Iste.org. When I work as a substitute teacher I find that most of the technology used in the classroom is multi-media stuff like video/dvd, powerpoint, slideshows, etc., but during the first week of classes I subbed in a special education class at Canyon Crest Academy, and one of the teachers showed me how they had set up websites to post coarsework and to allow students to keep track of their grades. I thought that was a very forward thinking use of technology and I can't wait to use those sorts of tools in my future work as a teacher. I'm confident that this course will help me to better utilize those tools.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
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