Technology

After taking this class I now know how important it is to incorporate technology into my classroom. It not only benefits the students but also the teacher. It is a great way for teachers and students to be interactive within the lesson no matter what subject area is being taught. Technology is also a great way for teachers and students to use their free time. Teachers can make worksheets, websites, etc for their classroom, as while as students could use the software too. However some challenges when it comes to technology is actually learning the software and learning what is available to use. There are many important lessons that I hope to be able to use within my classroom. I really enjoyed making the videos. This is a great tool for students to use as well. Students could video tape different experiments to show a life cycle. STudents could also video tape events during the year to show their progress, etc.

Video Project

1. I really enjoyed working on this video project. My group worked very well with each other and would build on top of each others ideas. One area that we could have improved on was with the music. Every time we would upload our video we would always have to reload the music! It was very frustrating. I think next time I would like to approach this project by doing a major issue in the world instead of just on Albright campus. While working on this video I learned a lot of useful skills that I could use in the future. The main thing is editing a video. I find it so cool how easy it is to cut out unwanted video. I also really liked how we could speed up our video! Also the different effect that could be applied inbetween each video take.

2. Grade level 6th
Science

Students will observe the life cycle of a caterpillar. Students will video tape everyday the changes they notice within in the caterpillar cycle. Once the caterpillar turns into a butterfly, students will upload the video. Students will make a video on the life cycle. They will be able to cut out all extra takes as well as speed up. Students videos will be watched on an open house!

Teacher preparations: Teaching students how to work a video camera. Showing students how to pull their videos from the camera. Showing students how to create a video.

Challenges: Making sure everyone understands the software when it comes to editing the video.

Students will be graded on: Skills to use a video camera. Skills to edit the video down into explaining the life cycle of a caterpillar. Skills on adding effects. Skills on understanding teh life cycle of a caterpillar.

Photoshop

Before I learned anything about photoshop I went into class thinking it was going to be so hard. I work with photoshop back in 10th grade on my brothers computer, but the only tool I used was the cropping tool. However, after learning the basic tools on photoshop I grown to really like the program. It is very simple to use! Obviously like I stated before pretty much everything was new to me. The tool that I absoultely love is the snipping tool! Photoshop will deffiently play a role in my future when it comes to the web. I will not only apply my skills in photoshop on my personal webpages, but I could defiently see photshop used on a my classroom webpage when I have a class. I think this is something that can be taught in schools, however I think for the older grades. A great way this could be taught is in a yearbook club. Obviously all of these tools could be used when producing a school yearbook. It could even be taught when students are creating flyers, comics, etc for a project.

Excel Workshop

There are many ways in which Excel could be used by students within your classroom.

1. Stocks- Students will pick a company out of the newspaper to track during the whole school year. Students will make an excel worksheet with their company's name & the stocks price for that day. Down the A column students will record the date for all 180 days of school. Down the B column students will record the stock for each day. At the end of the week students will find the average of the stock prices. Also students will create a line graph at the end of each week that represents the changing in stock prices. At the end of the year students will compare the graphs and data and determine the average of all the prices.

Standards: 3. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks d. Process data and report results. 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions. 6. Technology Operations and Concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. a. Understand and use technology systems b. Select and use applications effectively and productively c. Troubleshoot systems and applications d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

2. Weather- Students will pick any location in the world to track during the whole school year. Students will make an excel worksheet with their location and the changes in weather. Down Column A students will record every Fridays date of the school year. Down Column B students will record the high and the low for each Friday. At the end of each month the students will create a bar graph which displays the highs and lows on the same chart. Students will do this for every month. Based on the data collected and graphed, students will be able to determine the weather pattern and climate zone of their specific location.

Standards: 3. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks d. Process data and report results.4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.6. Technology Operations and Concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. a. Understand and use technology systems b. Select and use applications effectively and productively c. Troubleshoot systems and applications d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

3. Fractions- Students will be able to practice making fractions. Students will be able to write the fractions within excel and see how it is converted into a decimal. Along with fractions students can make each fraction into a pie chart so that they can see how the fraction is broken up in a visual representation.

Standards: 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

4. Budget- Students can think of something that they really want to save their own money for. Students will write the item in A1. Students will also research different stores at which this item is sold out as well as the prices. Students will then think of a business in which they would do to earn money for this item, such as raking leaves, mowing grass, babysitting, etc. Students will also include how much they would charge for that service. Students will then figure out how much they would need to save each week, as well as how many many weeks they will need to save for the item that they want. By doing this students will be able to to figure out which store is the cheapest and which job will help them save the most money. Students could graph this as well.

Standards:3. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks d. Process data and report results.4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.6. Technology Operations and Concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. a. Understand and use technology systems b. Select and use applications effectively and productively c. Troubleshoot systems and applications d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

5.Plants-Students will work in teams that will plant the same seeds and place them in different locations. Students will then give the plants different amounts of water each day. Students will then measure the changes in plants each day. Students will record this data in Excel. After each week students will graph the results which will show the differences in each plant. After a few weeks students will graph their overall results as a whole. Students will be able to determine which location is the best for plants to grow and what amount of water is the best for the plants.

Standards: 2. Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media formats c. Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems 3. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks d. Process data and report results.4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.6. Technology Operations and Concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. a. Understand and use technology systems b. Select and use applications effectively and productively c. Troubleshoot systems and applications d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

Copyright for Teachers

As a teacher it is important to be awhere of how to use copyright items within a classroom. Although many teachers probally don't think that they are doing anything unlawful when adding a picture here an there, making copies of certain writings, etc. but teachers should know and follow the copyright laws for teachers. These laws cover everything from showing a picture, making copies, showing videos, sharing music, computer software, etc.

Before reading about copyright I honestly didn't think that there were guidelines for teachers copying materials. I was really surprised that teachers can only show 10% of a video to a class or 3 minutes, whichever is shorter.

In my past classes I know that many teachers did not follow the copyright laws of printing copies to give to the class. Also I know some teachers have showed videos, music clips etc. longer then the 10% or 3 mins allowed by copyright laws. Outside of the classroom I see copyright laws being broken, just by walking down the street. Such as those t-shirt stands in the mall.

I think it is important to teach students about copyright laws. I would do this by having a display of all the laws within a classroom hanging somewhere where students can see. Also I would lead by example and follow the rules myself. I will even point out when I had to use the copyright laws.

Interactive Whiteboards

I feel that interactive whiteboard really do help enhance teaching and learning within the classroom.

For teachers it enhances teaching because everything is right on the board, meaning that the teacher doesn't need to go get worksheets, or copies, materials, etc. Everything is simply saved write onto the board, such as presentations, links, side notes, etc. It enhances learning for students because that are always engaged within the activity or lesson going on. They physically can solve a math equation literally at the tips of the finger instead of trying to go back to their seats and remember what to do. I know when I was elementary school I loved being able to go up to the chalk board and right; I would have been amazed if I was allowed to go up to the Smart board to write when I was younger.

The technology for interactive whiteboards was not difficult to use. However if I didn't have a class that put time aside to teach us how to use some of the tools with interactive whiteboards, I probally won't have been able to gain as much as I did. The only probally I see is that if I don't use the interactive whiteboards that much I might have to eventaully be retaught or have a refresher with this software.

However, interactive whiteboards do have their pros and cons when installed into a classroom.
     Pros- every tool is right at your finger tip, most teachers are more confident because students are able to explore as well, interactive which makes for more participation, can store notes, images, lessons, links, etc. Already provides numerous ideas, lessons, pictures, etc.
    Cons- Expensive, not using real objects (sure students can interactive with the whiteboards but I feel like some things they need to physically hold in order to understand the subject)

I wish I knew how to use the interactive whiteboard at the beginning of my education classes; I feel like I could have done so much more for my lessons with the use of the interactive whiteboard. I did a math unit on numbers are adding. I could have did different interactive medias such as dice, games, videos, practice writing the numbers, etc. Also this could have help with a lesson I did on time. Instead of using a still image of a clock I could have used an interactive clock in which students could have came up to the board and physically move the hands on the clock to display a certain time. For my science unit, I could have did different experiments with the interactive whiteboard. Such as changing the state of matter.

New Software

During the past couple of weeks I have learned about software that I never knew how to use, such as Publisher, Inspiration, Smart Board, etc. Along with learning on how to use all of these softwares, I also learned when to use them, what for, etc. I think it was very beneficial to actually take time to learn these new skills. I am excited to use my new skills learned with student teaching as well as in my very own classroom. It is beneficial that I learn these skills now, because once I start my career, all new technologies will be building on top of the skills I have learned!

Although I think that all of the software that I learned will be the most useful, I have to say that the Smart Board software is the most helpful one to me. In every classroom, for the most part there is a smart board. A smart board is the new way of presenteing information, activities, videos, etc. Most classrooms are during away with chalk boards and white boards and using the interactive smart board. This will be the most helpful to be because I will need to know how to use the smart board, what I can do with it etc. Also I will probally be to the one educating my coop- teacher while I am student teaching.

There are many ways that these softwares will help me as a teacher! Inspiration is a great tool that can be used by a teacher or students. It is a great way to help make graphs, concepts maps, outlines, etc. Publisher is a great tool to make flyers, newletters, banners, charts, cards, etc. It is easy enough for the students to use as well! A newletter is a creat way to let the parents know what is going on in the classroom. The smart board is my favorite tool that will help me as a teacher. I can create different slides (pages). These pages can be interactive, which will allow students to interactive with the board.  I can use the smart board, to practice anything from math, to writing, etc. Also the Smart board is a create tool to use as a pre asssessment or closure in a lesson. Students can take interactive quizzes which can be create right than and there.

I am sure that on the new softwares that I learned about there are so many other teacher tools, student tools that I have not yet discovered, and I can't until I have time to play around with and use these new technologies within my classroom!