EDUC 422 come to an end!

I learned many valuable technology application, operation, concepts, ethic use, and federal laws in the EDUC 422 class. As a teacher I definitely will use most of this knowledge in my work and also I will pass this knowledge to my students. I want to create a classroom environment that fosters technology. I will include in my classroom rubric, PowerPoint, Excel-spreadsheet, Imovie, Wiki-space, filamentality, and Inspiration data. In my personal point of view, I’m not so enthusiastic about the Backflip. I believe that happen because I use the Yahoo bookmark, which is a little similar. I also think it is a lot work and academic Web-sites change their address a lot. To me the best way to organize the sites is to add to favorites and it requires a simple description about it. I believe that the class was great I learned o lot in this class. The only thing I would improve is that a small number of assignments. If there were fewer assignments, I believe I could learn more about of the applications tools and more possible use. I also would like to see the professor have an assistant. It would be great to have more people to help you with your questions, especially because for many of us it was the first time we got to work with these programs.
In conclusion, this was a great curse where I learn so much that I will be able to apply to improve my work and to raise my student’s knowledge.

“The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn.”
-Sir John Lubbock,
British Naturalist

Video Project.

Video Project

About our final video project I have to say that I enjoy work in group. Collaborative work is always interesting and much more creative since everyone is able to bring their personal insight into the project. The preproduction part of the project was very fun, but not so realistic. The moment we got together and we started making the prompts; we realized that would be a most extensive part of our work. We work non –stop for almost 3 hours to have all the prompts and the script done. Filming the project was exciting and we were able to retake the scenes several times until we were happy with the results. The digital editing was another step to take into consideration. We were obligated to work just during the class period, which limited the quality of editing. Most the people in class never did IMove before and everyone needed help with editing. Just one instructor to help it became difficult to learn a lot about editing. I wish we had more time and more qualify people to help us editing the video. I have to say that I did what I could do with the previous short instruction I got. I hope in the future I can lean more about it and take full advantage over this great media technology tool.

Splicing Video Into The Writing Process

The article is great, describes the work of these two teachers that decided to expose their students to a multimedia assignment. These teachers were capable to use multimedia too to enrich their content area. Like they say on the article “this is a great way to communicate in the digital era” (Hanging & Scot, 26). With the use of this multimedia they were able to raise the enthusiasm of learning of their students. In the article they listed all the steps necessary to have a video project done. There are many different steps before the project is completed and ready to be presented to the class. This collaborative work requires commitment from all the group members. During the assignment course the students: brainstorm their ideas, they create a purpose for their audience, and they organize and revise the final product. During this creative process the students become expert at their material with the intention of to be ready to teach it to the class. Could not be a better way to learn than to be part of creation.

“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that creates the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.”

Haim Ginott
Teacher, Author

Making a movie.

Today my group and I worked in record our Imovie. It was a great experience for everyone. We had a lot of fun, and we learned a lot. We follow our Story board to build our sceneries and text. It was a lot work as well. We had to build all our prompts before we start record the move. At the end the day we were very happy with the results. It is amazing that we spent three hours to have just the first part of our work done and at the end after the movie gets edit it will be just 2 minutes movie. So far this seems a very nice assignment, but I believe it early to say something more about. We just worked on the storyboard, which did not take us long time. Because we new exactly which topic we want to do it was easy. The storyboard was just a formal part of this project. The record session was much more work and also more insightful. Now let see next week, when we have to edit the movie. I believe that is when we really going to encounter difficulties, but at the same time will be a useful tool to learn.

“Your job gives you authority. Your behavior earns you respect.”

-Irwin Federman,
Businessman

WebQuest!

The Use of Web Quest.

Web Quest is a great cooperative learning tool. With Web Quest a teacher can create a challenge assignment where his or her students will have a positive experience.
This experience can creates interdependence. Students will search through the links designated by their teacher and they will be challenge and motivated. Web Quest makes learners investigate a specific theme or simply answer questions guided by the instructor without get lost in a no validate research. The teacher creation of a Web Quest creates his or her student interdependence and accountability. Teachers who use Web Quest incorporate the Internet into the classroom in a very productive way. The creating the Web Question is a guided instructions that through teacher sites choice the student knowledge will be challenge to learn and to think.



Filamentality


http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listaustralime.html


The Filamentality assignment was great. I had a lot fun working on it. First all, I loved researching for links relate to my theme. Second, build the Hotlist was also fun and creative. It is easy, but challenging at the same time. When I was creating I had in my mind my students motivation and curiosity. I want to create a site that inspires curiosity and excitement.
The writing portion of this assignment is formal and where I had to spend more time into it. The teacher instruction sheet was more official and containing academic explanation about the lesson. The Student sheet was nice to do, since was the guide instruction connecting to the hotlist. This part of assignment was nice, because I had to instruct, to modeling and to guide my students to the purpose of this assignment. It is really where the student will apply the knowledge they got from the hotlist.
In conclusion I definitely will use this tool in my classroom. I can see myself using it to teach so many subject matters.

Software Review

About the software review was a nice assignment. There was a prescribed part of this assignment where I had to install and navigate through these softwares and check out the academic quality of these materials.
The analysis and the review of the software was a nice thing to do. I believe through this assignment I became more capable to recognize good classroom software. I actually could see how great tool they are. Some of these software cover diverse subject matter that impressed me. I did not have ideal how much academic activities they promote.

Midterm

My Ed. 422 Midterm.

I went to my first day of the midterm believing that the exam was a hands-on midterm, but the first part of it was not. I studied a lot, I redid all my assignments and I was feeling good about it. There were several questions, which I did not have any clue it would be questioning on the exam. The questions seem simple at the first, but when I took a second look at them, they were a little trick. I left the first part of the midterm with a huge felling of frustration. I knew I could do much better if I had some guideline to study from. Also would be helpful if the Professor had expended some time talking about the midterm in class. My big surprise was the exam format. The fact the questions jump from fill in the blanc to hands on or to talk about what you know to hands on activity. The exam format was definitely a surprise. Becomes very hard to take a test when you don’t know what to expect from the test, and what the professor is expecting from you. The frustration grows bigger when the professor was not able to help us clarify any questions we have about the test. I saw myself on my own. The second day of the midterm it was better, at least I kind of new how it could be, and also it was more hands on material. I believe I did a little better this day. I’m sure the professor has her reasons to split the midterm in two sections and to choose a exam with this little confuse format, but I’m not here to questioning that. I did my best with the little understanding I had about the questions, but I could do much better if I could have access to clarify them.

“Good teaching is loving and listening, sharing and supporting. It is being passionately human. That is the point at which a good teacher begins.”

-Author Unknown

Database

The World Wide Web

Interfaces, Database, and Applications to Education.

This article explains that how database stores information and how could be use as an educational tool. The uses of database helps teachers instruct her or his students to organize and store their data. Teachers can also use this amazing tool to help in class assignment, research, communication, calendar, and as well evaluate students. There are many possible uses for this application. There is also the organizational factor; this tool promotes great organization for teachers as well students. In addiction the use of this application helps to save a lot paper and materials in general.

The Database - America’s President.

This article show how teachers can get children to organize their information with the use of this powerful tool, which is database. Promotes a critical evaluation of gathering information. The article also says that this application has many features and functions: arrange, sort, view, filter, and manipulate data in diverse ways. This article also instructs teacher how to conduct step by step a creation of a database that will serve to store the America’s Presidents information. The article explain that children are use to collect artifacts in a certain ways, and they just will transfer this prior knowledge of organize data to a specific application. This activity will be very powerful to their knowledge.

Bells and Whistles

This last and final article for the day. Talks about organizing database for the whole class use and how teachers can direct her students to do that. The students will create and accessing information and they also will learn how to organize the data the best possible way. The article also explains that when students are using database requires a higher level of critical thinking. This critical thinking skill can be use through out of their lives. This intellectual exercise empower students to a elevate stage of knowledge.

Personal Reflection about Database in Education.

After read al this articles and after the classroom database project, I have to agree that database is a powerful tool in education. This tool can be use in so many different ways. Database promotes organization and the clean work. The fact that all the information can be stored and organized in the computer makes assignments much more productive and focus. I should not forget the factor that promotes a higher level of critical thinking and that is definitely what a teacher wants for his or her student. I definitely see myself using database to store my students’ information. I will also have a database as a journal’s entries of my students’ improvements and needs. It is also great to storage for informal assessments, personal, and academic information about the students. I also could as a form of group work assignment. It could also be use as a classroom library’s catalog. In conclusion, the use of database is a collaborative classroom work and for sure promotes students enthusiasm about academic materials. This tool empowers the learning development and facilitates students and teachers lives.

A Building Block for Teachers...

Bridging the Digital Divide: A Building Block for Teachers

The author intention in this article is definitely clear. She wants to show that teachers should reexamine their conception about of use of technology in their classroom. The author expresses her view about how teachers should self examines their computer knowledge. The author also advices how teachers should submitted themselves to a frequently training to improve their computer skills. This way they will be able to use technology with better understanding and better quality. The author also sites how teachers should create a technology environment in their classroom and promote students discussions and group work as part of the classroom strategy. The author also mentions how computers are a very productively tool for learners and it should be use in it full potential for: research, networking, collaboration, telecommunication, problem solving. I personally like all the resource links she mentions on the article, which will be very useful to me. I also agree with the author when she says that teachers should be more aggressive to obtain financial sponsors to improve the quantity and quality of the technology in their classroom. She also says that teachers should ask for parents’ involvement in this process.

Wikis

I love this assignment because it is one more tool and skill I learned in the Educ 422 class. This is another great tool that could be use for so many different purposes. Teachers can use Wikis for a classroom research. He or she could instruct the students to change or add research information, this way the all class can get involve in the same project. This strategy can improve students’ participation, collaboration, critical thinking, productivity, and problem solving. The only problem is that some people are more active than others, and it could give them chance to manipulate the project. As a teacher I would be a little more involve in the Wiki, this way I could guide the students’ discussions and make equally productive to all.

“All students can learn and succeed, but not on the same day in the same way.”

William G. Spady
Educational Theorist

Teaching Students to Use the Internet as a Reseach Tool

Teaching Students to Use the Internet as a Research Tool

I remember when I got introduced to Internet research tool, it was like an open door to an infinity possibilities. My school’s assignments had a great improvement because of all the information I was able to collected and verified in a fast pace. I can see a student get crazy with the great help that Internet search engine can provide to them. This skill will definitely will motivate them, also could be an open mind experience. The student can develop a great critical thinking process when comes to select the material that he or she will use in their work. I love have the chance to teach all the potential that Internet can bring to their work. The infinity places that Internet can take you are incredible. All the news papers, periodicals, journals, magazines, reports, and etc… The way children are computer smart today, maybe they will be able to teach me, things I probably do not know, or take me to sites I don’t have any idea they exist. This can be a way to make a connection with my students, and both learn together.



Spreadsheet Tutorial


About spreadsheet, what I have to say is that I learned excel many years ago, and to be honest I never was able to use it. It is definitely an amazing tool that can facilitate a teacher’s life. I’m really looking forward make my knowledge about excel useful in the future. The possibilities are immense, and the efficacy is primordial to make this skill worth to know.
I used the Chart and the Pie future before in some of my past PowerPoint presentation to show some type of statistics, which is a great form to promote visual proportions about data, and also to promote comparison. The part of insert the data is very simple, only the formula section is a little more complicate, it is something I had to practice more often. The visual resources are great. The new excel has great futures when it comes to creativity. One could create a beautiful and rich spreadsheet, which can be an amazing advantage to this technical work.

“The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn.”
-Sir John Lubbock, British Naturalist

Multi-media/Taxonomy

Reflection on Multi-media

The PowerPoint presentation it is always exciting for both teacher and student, it is raise a better point the view in both cases. I believe specially because of the visual and organization aspect.
For teachers, PowerPoint is a great instrument that allows teachers be creative, using different types of technique that will help all kind the learners. I also believe that promote a more organized lecture, and gives freedom to teachers to make a more personal connection if necessary.
For students, PowerPoint is visually exiting and promotes organization of thoughts and notes. It also promotes focus on the subject matter and promotes visual understanding. PowerPoint promotes knowledge in a dynamic an interactive way and can be use in many different situations to help with any kind of instruction.

Taxonomy

Taxonomy is a classification of levels of intellectual behavior. It develops high level of thought process to everyday reading process.
The process is developed by asking questions from the reading material. These questions are divided in several different categories like as: Knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
Knowledge: the recall of specific information.
Comprehension: an understanding of what was read.
Application: the converting of abstract content to a concrete situation.
Analysis: the comparison and contrast of the content to personal experiences.
Synthesis: the organization of thoughts, ideas and information from the content.
Evaluation: the judgment and evaluation of characters, actions, outcome, etc., for personal reflection and understanding.

Mapping Student Minds

In the article "Mapping Student Minds" by Ariel Owen, the author makes a statement that casual mapping tool helps students thinking without even knowing. The students will make a cause and effect relationship data that will promote knowledge in an invisible way. This tool facilitates a critical thinking development. What the casual mapping does is analyzing relationships between objects or data. Also promotes a group work, share information and discussion. It is a dynamic activity with a great learning process. It is a very easy to make correction and add data, which brings new insights to the process and a more precise result. To me is a great tool, almost like a brainstorm, but with the advantage that analyzes relationship between the objects. To a cognitive learner is definitely a great tool to make the learning process interesting and enjoyable. I would like to use this kind of educative tool into my classroom if a have the opportunity. I believe it is very instructive especially for boys, who like to see things in a more logical perspective as cause and effect.

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”

- Albert Einstein

Thecnology has affected our lives

As state in the article Oh, the Change We've seen by Maureen Yoder, "Piaget believe in children as builders of their own intellectual models. As teachers, we are in position to help children build them... using technology," (M. Yoder, 17) this quote is so true. Children definitely are builders; they build their intelligence collecting experiences through out their lives. As teacher we should help them build it, but for a real understanding a personal experience is necessary. Integrating computer to the classroom is definitely a solution to expand the children experiences. I remember when I was in elementary and middle school. Teachers used to bring small magazine’s pictures to inspire us to write a paper, we normally have to share these pictures with our entire class. Today, teachers can find millions of pictures in the Internet, about any subject and display on the classroom projector. Everyone can have access to the image at the same time. We can even share our ideas about and promote a discussion, and make comparison. The time we save, and the growth of knowledge are amazing. We can become expert about anything that happens in the world. Technology creates geographic closeness, which make us world citizens. We are part of a must large community, and have the obligation to collect data about this world society that we live in. Children definitely are open to consume all this information, which improve their critical thinking. This week, I have to say that I learned a lot about Rubric. This is a very exciting theme, I was looking forward for that I always want to learn to create an assignment rubric. It will be very useful in my future. I plan to use rubric for most of my assignment in the classroom. We also were able to create a newsletter, which was so much fun work. I loved, I went home after school and I could not stop work in this project, until I had done.
I have to finalizing saying that it was a very fun week in the Educ. 422.


“My heart is singing for joy this morning! A miracle has happened! The light of understanding has shone upon my little pupil’s mind, and behold, all things are changed!”

- Annie Sullivan,
Teacher of Helen Keller

The knoledge of the second week.

This week I have to say that I learned a lot about bookmark. I knew some about it, but I never was interesting. I’m so used to add all my useful links to my favorites and every few months I clean everything I do not use for while, that was my organization system. The lecture was extensive, I enjoy WWW explanation, I had some knowledge about and I also use it in the regular basis. Another point of the lecture that I appeciated was all the benefits that technology can bring to the lesson plan and to the curriculum that was great, very insightful and well needed. About “Internet Etiquette” the explanation that the professor gave to us, I thought that was great. Such a powerful remind of all the things we should not be doing online, specially if we want to became teachers and we will be observed by many, and any non-professional attitude we put online can be drastically damage to us. The article and the quiz about etiquette were perfect and a wonderful complement to the lecture, I’m sure I will pay much more attention to it. About the last article called Teaching for Understanding, Also was a great complement to the lecture, the article was very well written and very easy to understanding. The article is an illustration how technology is a powerful intellectual tool that improve pedagogy and understanding. The article also states that the use of educational technology promotes collect and analyze data, and problem solving skills. Another use to educational technology is to access students prior knowledge, which is very useful to determinate the student intellectual level and expectations. In conclusion, technology is an essential tool for teacher and for the school system to create a better understanding.