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