WEEK 8

I HAVE LEARNED MANY NEW TOOLS BY TAKING THIS CLASS. I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT MYSELF AND CONFIRMED WHAT I KNEW ALL ALONG……KEEP LEARNING…..KEEP TRYING TO FIND NEW WAYS TO ENGAGE THE LEARNER…..NEVER GIVE UP.

Educational Technology Philosophy

My educational technology philosophy is based heavily on the idea of adaptation in the learning process. The constructivism learning theory will allow children to develop the skills and confidence to analyze the world around them, create or support solutions to everyday issues, and then justify their words and actions. I would like to encourage students in the learning process while respecting the differences in opinions for the contributions that they can make to the classroom. Constructivist learning requires students to use their prior knowledge and experiences to formulate new concepts in learning. I believe that this can be achieved through the integration of technology. Utilizing technology when teaching with a constructivist perspective, I should choose technologies that reinforce prior learning perhaps in a problem-solving environment.

Education is about looking beyond the child’s intellect, and seeing the whole child. Teaching, to me, is about providing students with opportunities to be challenged and still succeed. Technology has altered the way teachers and students communicate amongst themselves. Every child has the potential to attain greatness. The job of an educator is to harness a child’s abilities and set them free with the confidence and the necessary tools to succeed. As I continue to study the field of technology, the definition of Instructional design and technology changes as I investigate different medians used in this field. To me the challenge is not what the definition is, but how and which area of technology to use with the individual learner. I do not want to get stuck in one use of technology and miss out on others that will engage a learner to understanding.

I believe that learning is making sense of the things we see and do every day. I believe students learn best when they connect what they learn to the environment in which they live. The way students understand the things they hear and read has a lot to do with the way they learn. They need to be able to explain things they have learned, not just memorize them. This demonstrates that students can build a connection between what they see, feel, touch, and hear every day. When this mission is accomplished in my classroom, my vision of educational technology will be complete.

Week 7 - iGoogle - do you?

In my lesson plan, Jing- Learning the Basics of Jing, my lesson goal and objectives are as follows:

Lesson Goal: The student will learn how to use a new tool for use in online learning lesson preparation.

Objectives:

·   The student will recognize how the tool can be used in online learning preparation.

·   The student will successfully download the tool from the online website.

·   The student will take and prepare a screenshot using Jing.

·   The student will take and prepare a video using Jing.

I used Jing, screencast, xtranormal, a class blog, and of course the student issued laptops in my lesson.

When I watched the videos, they just make me want to learn more technology and seek better ways to reach the learner. It reminds me of this quote I found years ago but it still stand true.

“Old ways of thinking, old formulas, dogmas, ideologies, no matter how cherished or useful in the past, no longer fit the facts. The world that is fast emerging from the clash of new values and new technologies, new geopolitical relationships, new lifestyles, new modes of communication, demands wholly new ideas and analogies, classifications and concepts. We cannot cram the embryonic world of tomorrow into yesterday’s conventional cubbyholes.” —Alvin Toffler, The Third Wave

Blog Reflection #6 - Can you hear me now?

I used Jing for the creation of my podcast. The purpose of my podcast was a how to video for xtranormal. I wanted to show how to use the web 2.0 technology that I had fun with while doing my student teaching. I plan on continuing to use podcasts in my teaching career to enhance the learning process.

Jing makes it easy to grab pictures and videos straight from your PC and then save them or share them on the Web. Jing integrates with Screencast.com, a hosting service for videos recorded off your computer, and allows you to publish your work.

http://www.xtranormal.com/

http://www.screencast.com/t/Z2hDXvliOcJ

Blog Reflection #5 - Week 5

The Information Literacy Quiz was a true eye opener. There are many things about websites and the validating of website I just do not consider day to day. More research is in my future on this subject.

https://delicious.com/rhonda0416

Delicious is more than just a place for people to store your favorite Web sites on one account. You can access your bookmarks from any browser and when you save a bookmark, you have the option of sharing it publicly. For instance, if you find a great article or blog post and save it publicly, anyone else searching Delicious can view the same link.

http://www.diigo.com/profile/rhonda0416

I investigated the world of Diigo and would like to share what I found with you.

Diigo is a super bookmarker that allows you to highlight and add sticky-notes.  You can create classes or groups which can be helpful in a classroom situation.  Diigo is a simple place to store, access, and share your bookmarks.  Here is a short tutorial showing how to us Diigo. Have fun with it.

Blog Reflection #4 - Assessment

"Assessment for Learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there.

Ten research-based principles of Assessment for Learning (AFL) to guide classroom practice:

1. AFL should be part of effective planning of teaching and learning

2. AFL should focus on how students learn

3. AFL should be recognized as central to classroom practice

4. AFL should be regarded as a key professional skill for teachers

5. AFL should be sensitive and constructive because any assessment has an emotional impact

6. AFL should take account of the importance of (and foster) learner motivation

7. AFL should promote commitment to learning goals and a shared understanding of the criteria by which they are assessed

8. AFL develops learners’ capacity for self-assessment so that they can become reflective and self-managing

9. AFL should recognize the full range of achievements of all learners

10.          Learners should receive constructive guidance about how to improve"

The principle I related to the most is to focus on how students learn. As a parent of three children, where each child learned differently, it became my mission as an educator to investigate different ways to encourage the learning process.

A portfolio assessment helps in the process of monitoring a students’ mastery of a subject. Portfolios can enhance the assessment process by revealing a range of skills and understandings of a subject. It supports instructional goals, reflects change and growth over a period of time, encourages reflection, and provide for continuity in education from one year to the next.

I can use a portfolio for a variety of specific purposes, including:    

Self-directed learning.

Showcasing what I have learned.

Demonstrating progress toward identified outcomes.

Offering an opportunity for peer-supported growth.

Reflection blog #3

rhonda0416.pbworks.com

I have been in the cosmetology field for years and decided to use my wiki as a means of exploring hair and skin care subjects. The purpose I have by using my wiki is to have a place that ideas can come together in a central format and also be used as a sounding board by means of collaborating with others. This will be a great way to give and receive knowledge from individuals who experience products and services, in my case the field of cosmetology.

One advantage of using wiki is there is no worry if the users have the same type of software. All that is needed is an Internet connection and a web browser. Another advantage, one I like, many wikis are FREE. They are a great means of communication for the classroom.

Some disadvantages can be found when using a wiki. A wiki is web based, which means it is in cyberspace that can be found by others. It can have a password, but may not be totally private. Another component to remember is that since others can edit and collaborate, even with an invitation, you cannot always control what they may say.

Some Web 2.0 tools that can be fun to use in the classroom are Animoto.com, which brings photos and videos to life, Gizmoz.com, a great animation tool, and xtraNormal.com, a fun and easy way to create movies.

 Here’s an example of xtraNormal I made about my son when here qualified for state in cross county.

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7546169/the-news-is-in 

Reflective Blog Posting #2

Educational Technology Organizations

ISTE- Internatioal Society for Technology in Education


For more than 30 years ISTE has been helping teachers and educational leaders connect with each other  to revolutionize education. They are committed to advancing excellence in learning and teaching through innovative and effective uses of technology. They provide thousands of resources and learning opportunities to help keep teachers on the cutting edge.

Individual Membership prices are as follows:
Premium: $219
Standard: $99
Retired Educator: $59
Student: $39

There website is a wealth of information from journals to other useful research that we as educator can use in our journey to technology awareness. 

http://www.iste.org/membership.aspx

Association for the
Advancement of Computing in Education

(AACE)

This is an international organization with the purpose to advance knowledge and information technology in education. I found a multiple of journal articles within the website that will help in my field of study. Heres one example:

Journal of Technology and Teacher Education- JTATE serves as a forum for the exchange of knowledge about the use of information technology in teacher education. Journal content covers preservice and inservice teacher education, graduate programs in areas such as curriculum and instruction, educational administration, staff development instructional technology, and educational computing.

http://www.aace.org/

As I continue to study the field of technology, the definition of educational technology changes as I investigate different medians used in this field. To me the challenge is not what the definition is, but how and which area of technology to use with the individual learner. I do not want to get stuck in one use of technology and miss out on others that will engage a learner to understanding.