Class Blog #4

Going over the assignment for this lesson I realized that I am actually on top of using power points in the classroom. During the last year I did not do as many power point presentations as I wish I had, but I am glad that I did do some. However, I feel that I could still learn many more things to help me in the classroom on using power point presentations. Looking back over what I did in class last year with my math students one particular power point presentation really jumps out in my mind. During the second semester of the school year, I had to do a final lesson plan to finish my KTIP portfolio. I decided to do the final lesson plan as the cumulative project of a fraction unit that I had been teaching. The main objective of the lesson was for the students to make something called "goop" using what they learned during the unit. The students were placed in groups and each group had a different recipe to "fix" using different fraction techniques. To start the lesson off I created a power point presentation that broke down the whole lesson. In each subset of what I broke down I showed the students a video from YouTube showing how to make the goop correctly. At the end of the power point presentation I included an open response for the students to do individually after their group had correctly made the goop. There was many things that I wish I could correct about the power point presentation. I wish that I had included actual pictures of what the goop would look like after each step was performed correctly. Also, I wish that I had included a slide or slides of what the students had to do to fix the recipes that they were given. However, the part that I was the proudest of myself in doing was including the YouTube presentation. I had to work hard to figure out how to insert the video into the presentation, but I was tickled when I finally accomplished it. Lastly, I found that the students seemed to be excited by not only the whole lesson, but the video more than anything. The students liked the fact that I had thought ahead enough to place the YouTube video in the power point. Overall, I feel that power point presentations can be very helpful in the classroom. However, with the major improvements that schools are making in the technology department there is hardly a need to make the presentations any more. If a teacher is using Smart Boards in their classroom they just have to make a few clicks and a presentation is already there for their using.

Lesson Three

Going over all the reading and doing the graded assignment for the week I realized that I did not know as much as I thought about desktop publishing and word processing. Breaking down each component allowed me to really examine what comprises each one. I knew before this lesson that I used both a desktop publisher and a word processor for communicating with my students and parents at school. I decided to go through my saved documents on my computer to see what types of items that I used last year at school. Needless to say I soon realized that all my saved items were not at home, but on my school computer. Thus, I created a replica of a newsletter for the parents/guardians that I should have created. The newsletter is missing some vital parts, but was far better than what I had done before. The one thing that I noticed about the newsletter is that I used very little images on it. I realize that some teachers prefer to use a lot of images on their newsletter, but I find that sometimes this can be a major distraction for the parents who receive these newsletters. There are so many different types of newsletter that a teacher can create, but the main part of using the newsletters is to get across a point to the parents. It is a communication tool that many teachers use. Teachers have to stay available at all times to help not only their students, but the parents as well. As a first year teacher I didn't realize how vital the communication between the teacher and parent can be. Sometimes there is a barrier that is created unintentional between the two, but breaking that barrier is very important. If no communication happens between the teachers and parents it is hard for the student to prosper at a desired level. Creating either a weekly or monthly newsletter to give the parents can keep the communication lines open. I did realize that when I re-created the newsletter that I preferred using a desktop publishing program over using a word processor. With the word processor I felt limited in what I could do. However, with the desktop publisher I had the chance to expand what I was wanting to communicate. Overall, I realize that it depends on what you know. If I had no clue how to use either program I would not be able to create a document in the first place. Learning about technology is to use technology over and over again.

Spreadsheets & Databases in the Classroom

Using spreadsheets and databases in the classrooms use to be a taboo that many educators never dealt with. Technology is just now taking over within classrooms. A section of technology that many educators use behind the scenes is spreadsheets and databases. Looking over different web searches regarding the use of spreadsheets and databases I found one website that really stuck out to me more than the others. The following website is from a school in Ohio; http://www.trumbull.k12.oh.us/teachers/resources/usingss.htm
This website is amazing for any teacher! It not only gives examples of what some teachers have done in their classrooms, but it also gives you a break down of how to create your own spreadsheet or database. Some of the examples that I found I would like to use in my classroom. Any teacher or educator can access this website and all its components. Sharing what we do that works in the classroom is another vital area of teaching. Looking back over things that I have done in the classroom I see that I have a long road to go... Over the past year I have not used spreadsheets as much as I could have. Mostly I never used them because I was unfamiliar with them. I have taken a couple of technology classes in college, but I never could remember how or where to start. However, databases seem to have been a popular form of technology that I used over the past school year. From creating letters for the parents/guardians or developing a paper/presentation for my KTIP portfolio.

Blog #2

I know that this blog is posting under the same date as the last one, but remember I did say that I procrastinated a lot on doing this. Not exactly the way for me to start a class, but I will do better. I promise! After looking over the material for the past two weeks I found one thing to really stand out to me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the different posts that everyone had regarding what they wanted to improve about themselves and technology. Getting to read what others think allowed me the chance to realize that I am not alone in the world of technology. I really feel like I struggled the most last year in finding different ways to allow my students to express their abilities using technology. Teaching a 5th grade math class places some restrains on what you can do with technology. However, I am finding that I can still incorporate technology into each lesson. In my classroom I have a Smart Board (AMAZING!!) to use every day in every lesson that I teach. Having the Smart Board and all the components (Smart Response System) to it allows me to show my students that technology is a vital part of every day life. No matter where we go in the world, some form of technology is being used to get us there. Our cars, airplanes, trains, etc. are solely developed on the concept that technology is the driving force to taking us places. Why should I/we let technology stop there? I feel that technology should be brought into the classrooms for ALL of our students. Not only should students see me using technology in lessons, but they should be doing it themselves. Sometimes we as educators feel that it is too much trouble to incorporate some form of technology into our lesson, but is it? All it takes is a few extra steps, a few extra minutes of our time to develop something that the students will not only enjoy, but will benefit more from. Would you rather listen to the teacher talk for an hour or get on a computer to do your lesson?

Week One

WOW! This is so amazing! I never thought that I would be one of those people who are constantly blogging, but look at me now! So this is my first blog, and I will forewarn you that over the next few weeks you will notice that my blogs seem a little different. The reason is...I started this blog for an educational technology class, but I have already found that I love this. Needless to say, once I am done with my blogging for this class I will continue to blog for my classroom as I can.
This is my week one blog for my class....When I first went over the material for this class I thought I am never going to make it. I have tried over the past year to familiarize myself more with different aspects of technology, but I feel that I have struggled a lot. I am hoping with this class that I can not only learn new things about technology, but that I can also learn new ways to implement technology into my classroom and lessons. When I read that we would have to create a blog and maintain it for this class I freaked out. I told my husband that I would never be able to do this. Needless to say the procrastinator in me came out and I kept putting off starting this blog as long as I could. What was I thinking?! As soon as I started setting this blog up I realized that I loved doing it! To really help myself more than anything I have set this blog up so that I can continue it once this class is over with. I feel that if I maintain this blog not only for my technology class, but for my classroom at school also that I will taking one step forward in my walk with technology. I have struggled with some concepts of the class already...wouldn't you know my luck that I have not received my book yet. It never fails! Well I guess we will have to wait and see what the future holds....