I learned a lot

This class was both challenging and informative for me.  Even though it was difficult for me, I was able to learn about things that I had never done before.  I will be able to use the things that I learned for many years to come.

This class has been extremely challenging for me. I have ran into many speedbumps along the way. However, I have learned so much. Many of the assignments involved the use of a technology that I had never used or was not very familiar with. I am very thankful for the learning opportunity!

This class provided me with very beneficial teaching material.  It was a challenge at times, but I feel that I have learned more information than most classes I have taken thus far.  I will use most all of this new technology in my classroom in the future.  I already have all of the 6th grade Geography teachers in my building on board to do my Webquest that I made for this class as an end of year culminating activity.  I'm super excited to use what I've learned!

classroom blog for my class

I'm using the classroom blog in my pre-ap 2 class...and my students are loving it!!!!!!! they say they have learned so much. okay, i'm learning something too. drop by and check out their posts and discussions if you guys want, especially if you teach Lord of the Flies in your classroom. http://missanovelideas.blogspot.com

Enjoyed the experience

I am a lifelong learner and this class has emphasized the ideas of using technology to enhance student learning.  I believe that this class has afforded me and will enable me to become a better instructor and learner.  I hope that everyone has a blessed Christmas and a Happy new year! Just one more test!

Almost there!

I am almost through with this technology class.  Wow!  I have found at times that this class has been difficult for me due to my lack of utilizing technology as a teaching tool.  Nevertheless, I have enjoyed learning new techniques that I can use to bring technology to the forefront of teaching. 

Conclusion...

After completing all my assignments for this class, i have come to the conclusion that this was one of the more beneficial classes I have taken.  I feel that I have come away with a much better understanding of the importance of technology in the classroom and what the students can do to enhance their learning through technology.  I have already implemented a few of the new things I have learned in this class and I can't wait for the opportunity to continue my exploration of technological resources to be used in my classroom!

I cant believe I'm Finished!

This class has helped me learn so much! It was a new understanding for me because I thought I knew more about technology than I did. Although, I am not a teacher, I think this class has helped me learn different ways to reach students through ways I never thought. I will look back on everything I learned in this class and take it with me through my life and in my job I have now recruiting students.

completion of class

I was scared at first about taking this class because I am not very technology oriented.  I am old-school and enjoy teaching with pencil and paper. However, kids today are so into technology that it would be a shame to deny them the access to everything available that could help them learn better.  I guess I was just really amazed that there are so many possibilities using today's technology.  I also enjoyed the book we used in class.  It was very informative and made for enjoyable reading.

Thank you. 

new technology

I have worked with powerpoint before, but everything else we've worked with in this class is new stuff to me.  I am ready to work with some of these things in my classes now.

Quiz and done

I have enjoyed the class. Now just gotta take the quiz and im done! I look forward to using this technology. The Power Point will be what I am able to use the most. I think the concepts are interesting with the other couple things that we did. I could only imagine how different teaching in elementary, middle, and high school would be now being able to use this equipment.

Almost there...

When first looking at the work that had to be completed in this class, I honestly thought about dropping it.  Now, I just have to take one more test and I will have successfully completed this course.   It has been a fun, challenging, and stressful journey that I am glad I took.  I have gained knowledge that should help me become a more modern educator.  Definitely glad that I have taken this class.

New Teaching Tools!

I am feeling relieved and accomplished!  Now I can focus on my new teaching tools.  I am excited to use my blog with my students and parents to keep them up to date and involved with what we are doing weekly in class.  I also hope to use the pod casts in some upcoming science projects.  Typically, I would have assigned PowerPoint presentations.  I feel that the students will enjoy making the pod casts much more!  I may even use a screen cast to give some of the directions for the pod cast!  (Who am I kidding?  That may be pushing it!)  Seriously, I am walking away with many new tools, and I am going to use them.  At least my students will get to benefit from all of this hard work!

Technology Class

This class has been enjoyable learning the technology to help advance the classroom for the future. The screencast project was neat how you could work and still talk through the directions at the same time. I think that this would be a neat way to have the students do projects throughout a school year. I also thought that the Power Point projects is a very useful tool for presentations and similar tasks. I will continue to use the technology moving forward with my career.

And thats all folks!!!!!!!!!!!

 I think not only have I completed successfully all of the assignments for this course, also I have completed my tier II classes for my principalship with the completion of this course!  And I must say this has been the most challenging and rewarding class I have taken! I truly feel that I can take from this class and apply it to my classroom in the very near future!

Podcast...

I don't know about the rest of you...but I am still unable to do the podcast. Audacity will not download to my laptop; neither will the mp3 decoder. It just hasn't worked. I'm so frustrated!!!!

Classroom blogs

I can think of ways to use all the types of technology we have learned about, but I think that blogs should definitely be used in schools.  It's such a great way for teachers to communicate with parents and students.  Parents can stay up to date on what is happening in the classroom. and around the school.  Students can use the blogs to get assignments and access resources that the teacher recommends.  I think that it's such an easy and neat way to stay connected with each other.

New and Improved!

After stressing out about most of the assignments for this class, I am feeling new and improved!  I am also feeling relieved that the majority of my assignments are complete.  Most of the assignments did not end up being nearly as hard as I anticipated.  They were challenging, but I persevered.  I feel very proud of my accomplishments in this class.  I have acquired several new tools to use for teaching.  I can truly say that I have grown as an educator.  I know now that I was not as technologically savvy as I once thought I was.  LOL.

I'm Learning!!!

Like many of you have mentioned, this class has been COMPLETELY overwhelming for me! Before this class began, I also thought I was pretty up-to-date on different channels of technology and the way that technology is impacting education. Through these new podcasts, webinars, blogs, etc., instructors now have even more material at their fingertips and other methods of instruction for their students. I remember having information taught to me in 2 basic ways: whiteboards and overhead projectors. Again, it seems that instructors are now almost limitless in the way they're able to teach their students.

Feeling accomplished

So thankful to have submitted the remainder of the projects.  Besides the last exam, I am finished!  This class has been challenging but very rewarding.  I have learned so much that I cannot wait to use in my own classroom. 

I thought that I was better at technology than I am!

I have to say, as the former tech person at my school (I passed that job on to someone else), I thought that I had this technology thing under control.  After taking this class, I am not so sure.  I have had to do things that I have never done before.  I was a little scared about making a podcast because if there is anyone who has the thickest redneck accent you have ever heard, it would be this girl.  It takes you back a little bit when you have to listen to yourself.  I don't sound like that in my head when I am talking, then I hear myself being recorded and I am all like "dang!".

Out of my comfort zone

I must say this class has pushed me out of my comfort zone.  I was certain I knew about technology and how to use it within my classroom to enhance learning.  Was I ever wrong!  I am so thankful I have had to create many different things using technology.  I now have many more tools in my tool belt.  I cannot wait to use all of these in my class.  I know my students will enjoy participating in them all, just like they did with the Web Quest.

Learning a lot!

I've been learning so much in this class.  Like others have said, I thought I knew at least the basics of technology and ways to use it in the classroom, but there are so many things to do that I haven't even considered! I especially like webquests. What an interesting way to get students learning on their own and help them become excited to do so!

I think students would really enjoy making their own podcasts, too.  I have to admit that I didn't know anything podcasts so I learned a lot reading about them and then making a short one myself!

I am having a heck of a time trying to create a new blog.  I guess that it my handicap!

Almost Finished

Shew! With a sigh of relief, I have completed all the assignments for this class with the exception of the final test.  It has been a long road for me.  I had to laugh when I read one of my classmates post about when they first looked at the syllabus and didn't even know what many of the assignments were.  LOL. I too felt that exact same way.  Today I am happy to say I have a few new tools in my toolkit.  I can see myself using several of the different assignments again in my classroom. I was nervous about taking this class right from the start, but I'm glad I did. Glad to wind up the semester too.  

Behind the Times

Before beginning this class, I thought I was up to date on technology and I did a good job using technology in my classroom.  When I first read the syllabus, I thought I was in the wrong class.  I had no idea what several of the topics were about.  I was unsure if I was going to be able to complete the assignments and class.  Now, the class is more than half way complete and I am doing alright.  It is stressful at times but nothing I can't figure out.  I have incorporated some of the new ideas into my routines and my students enjoy them.  I am afraid though that by the time I figure out the best way to use most of these, they will be outdated and I will be behind again.  LOL!!!

Email Assignments for my classes

The email assignments for my classes have been going...AWESOME!!! The students love them and they are so easy to write feedback and send back to the students. It has raised the morale in my classes :-)

I'm excited about doing the blog this week and getting started using those in my classroom after Thanksgiving.

Feeling Better!!

This class has been completely overwhelming for me. Each and every time I try to complete an assignment, it seems as if something always happens. I have been pushing myself very hard to get my assignments for next week finished this week also, so that I may enjoy my Thanksgiving break with my family.  Today I finally got all of my assignments finished.  I feel very happy right now. Now the only big assignment left is one test.  I feel that I have learned a lot of new technology that I will be able to use in my classroom.

Overwhelmed

Like many of you, I have been trying to get my Thanksgiving assignments completed so that I can go out of town and visit with family.  Things were going great until I created my own blog.  Apparently, my google account has a virus.  I didn't even realize this was possible.   This virus has shut down my blog, my school computer, and my partner's school computer. I could cry at this very moment.  After hours of struggle with this assignment to have it simply shut down has been heartbreaking.  It was almost completed.  Even worse, to realize the impact it has had on my computer and my colleagues is gut wrenching.  The computers we used were the ones connected to our smartboards(of course).  I'm sure when I get home today and log onto my home computer, it too will be in the same shape since I started the blog from there.  Our school technology person has warned me not to log into my google account again.  This class is almost finished, thank goodness, because I'm not sure how many more computers I will have access too...lol.  I'm seriously not sure how quickly the technology department will be able to repair our school computers, or how expensive it will be to fix mine at home.  All in all, I'm very frustrated, overwhelmed, and just aggravated.  Say a little prayer for this gal, I could sure use it at this point.

I didn't realize I was so behind!

Well, it's official, I don't know anything about technology! What I know is so basic, it's nothing like the assignments that we've all been working on. Before taking this class, I had no idea I was so behind!  I have been exposed to things I didn't even know existed!  While doing the web quest, I kept thinking that I would let it be on a topic I would actually use in my classroom.  I will have to say that I will be using my web quest after Thanksgiving break, which I am very excited to do! I plan on using the things taught in my classroom all throughout the remainder of the year! I really think the kids will enjoy making their own pod casts! I forgot to mention this in the pod cast, but I believe it would be an awesome way to record your homwork hotline assignments each day.  Incorporating podcasts into my teaching will be new and challenging, but I am going to give it a shot!  The overwhelmed and stressful feeling that I've felt while doing these assignments has about took me under, but I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel!  We've almost made it!!

The WebQuest kicked my tail...

I always thought I was pretty technologically savvy...however, after taking this class, I feel the complete opposite!  Don't get me wrong, I can navigate the assignments pretty well but not up to par.

I worked on the WebQuest for at least a couple hours each night for a week.  I thought it was pretty good too! :-)  But my grade didn't reflect how well I thought I did.  I have definitely learned what to do for future WebQuests though!  I like them but they are a lot of work!  I hope I'm not the only one that feels that way!

Anybody else ready to throw in the towel?

This class has been insane for me!  Challenge would be a severe understatement.  The towel is in hand and itching to be thrown, I have wanted to give up several times since the beginning but have made the deadline so far for each assignment.  If it is not me understanding how to do something it is this stupid computer acting like it is possessed!  I hope I can endure the web quest and the pod cast but only time can tell!  I vow to win this battle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I have been working diligently trying to accomplish the tasks for this class.  I tend to be an over achiever and want to get everything done well in advance of the due date. 
Anyway, this being said, I am seriously thinking about going out into the forest and living in a cave where technology can not find me!  The screencast was a test of my sanity, the WebQuest completely did away with my sanity, the PodCast is going to have to wait because I need to find my sanity, and here I am posting on the Blog.  I do not know how I am going to get through this!!!
I think the technological world expanded while I slept, and I have woken up to realize that there is a whole world that I have never even heard of.  How does this happen, when I get up and out every single day?

I don't know.  I guess, I am going to have to leave the "old school" behind and embark on this new world of technology!  Lord Help ME!!!

Well...I started small....

This week I decided to try and get more "techy" with two of my classes. I started small to see if I could get my students to respond, so I created an email assignment in which they must respond to literature in an email discussion over the weekend. I have yet to log in and see their emails, but I'm anxious to see how it they did.
When we get to web blogs and I learn how to actually create and use those, I plan to try that. But, this was a small step for me. :-)

Eyes wide open!

Boy have my eyes been opened. Never have I considered myself as a "guru" of technology by any means, but I did think I knew more than most.  Was I ever wrong!  I am struggling to keep my head above water in this class.  Though if I can make it through I feel I will be a stronger educator for my 21st century learners. Hopefully at the end of this I can look back and say this was a great experience. 

Never Been Done Before

This is the first time I have ever posted to a Blog.  Technology has come so far in such a short time.  I wonder what it will be like during the next 15 or so years.  I have a very limited ability in using technology.  Hopefully, this class will afford me the opportunity to be immersed in it.  One could only hope!

A Little Nervous

As I began this class, I had to take a moment to reflect back to my first year of teaching.  When I began, I was the technology guru for my school.  When problems occurred, I was the one they came to for help.  I was by far the youngest teacher there and just out of college.  Now, I am in my 12th year of teaching and when I read through the list of assignments, I had no idea what I am supposed to do.  Oh well, it will be good for me to learn new ideas that can help me become a better teacher.  I completed the first week and will continue to work through the course.  I look forward to learning new concepts.

Well, I made it through the first assignments.  I really think this class is going to be good for me.  I don't know much at all about many of the topics, but I need to learn!  I am excited/nervous all at the same time!

Have you ever known exactly where you are, and yet felt so lost that you thought you might never get out.  I am THERE now!!!  I am NOT a technology guru!  I like to stay ahead on my studies since I am a full-time mom and full-time teacher.  As I went browsing through the assignments for this technology class, I see that during week 2 I have to make a PowerPoint.  I think, "hmm, this is no big deal, I use PowerPoint in my class all the time."  I go through the process of making a new PowerPoint.  Since I am going to need one soon on cause and effect for my Language Arts class, I decide this will be my topic.  I finish my PowerPoint and submit it for grading.  I then continue browsing through the next weeks of the course and realize this... I AM IN BIG TROUBLE!!!  I have no idea how to do any of the other things that are to be done in this class.  In fact, I have only heard of one of them (the WEBQUEST).  I break out in a cold sweat, take deep breaths trying not to cry, and realize THAT is a losing battle and burst into tears.  I am a straight A student!!!  What am I going to do???  I think I might have an anxiety attack because I am in an alternate universe and cannot find my way out. 

Please help!!!  Someone find this universe and get me out of it!!!  Technology has taken me captive, and I have to learn all of these things to get out!!!  I think I may be stuck here FOREVER...

Technology in the classroom

I picked my daughter up from school today and she reminded me I had to be at school Thursday after school to sign papers and pay $50 for a surface tablet. She goes on to tell me it is basically an iPad. Perry County is providing these to students in grades 8-12. WOW!!!!

This is awesome news! When I went to M.C. Napier in the 80's we still had manual typewriters!!!! My daughter asked me ..."what's a type writer?"

It is amazing  what technology is now available to us as educators and students. I do have to admit I am in favor of learning in a classroom the old fashioned way when it comes to math, reading and science. I know  a few people who are getting their education degrees and most all their work was online. That is scary to me. Maybe I am just old-school???? What do you think?

Creating a Blog

I have wanted to create a blog for a long time but kept putting it off because I didn't know how.
I am still working on my blog but I must say I am so glad I have started working on the blog.
This class is awesome and has held me accountable for getting started!

I consider myself to be average when it comes to working with technology. I love learning new things.

I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. I am proud to say I successfully taught high school biology for seven years and worked in pharmaceutical sales for the past twelve years. My passion involves teaching others and photography.

I have gained some very useful knowledge from this class and I am so glad I stuck it out.

Technology for Educators

Great Class. Very scary at first but I seem to be catching on...hopefully!

Web Blog

      I believe one of my favorite activities in this class was the use of creating a Web Blog. There have been many times that I know students would like to have had a way to communicate with me or just with the other students within the class to help them in some of our assignments. After creating a blog I have realized how beneficial this could be for my students, parents, other professionals, and myself. It allows students to view assignments from class. I now know that this is very important in case they need a refresher when they get home from school; students will have access to material in class that will better help them complete their homework. Along with this, it gives parents an opportunity to step within the “classroom” and see what their child is working on, as well as a record of activities that I am teaching. I am excited about all the possibilities that a web blog has, and look forward to continuing my blog within the future.

Learning Experience

   It wasn't until taking this class that I came to the realization that I had not been using technology in my classroom to its full potential. I was accustomed to using the active board, document camera, I-pad, and laptops within my classroom, but did not realize how much more there was that I had not been utilizing. I was familiar with using the internet, but didn't realize all the possibilities of the world wide web until participating in the assignments for this class. I had not ventured out in using Power-point and embedding hyperlinks to the web in those presentations. I also did not have much understanding of using or creating Web-quests, Web Blogs, and Screencasts. With this new knowledge I will be able to incorporate more of these activities into the daily instruction of my classroom to enhance both mine and my students learning, and better prepare them to be both college and career ready.

 

 

Not so scary...

As I mentioned in my previous post, I don't get along so well with technology; I am always hesitant at the thought of using technologies that are new to me in my classroom, so using technologies that are CREATED by me (webquests, blogs, basically anything other than your run-of-the-mill PowerPoint presentation) was a terrifying concept, and simply NOT going to happen!

Until.... The webquest helped me realize that this 1. isn't so bad after all.... and 2. is nothing I am not already doing!!  It's just a way to make it more relevant (because it's technology) to my students, and a way to make it more visually appealing to them (much more colorful, and interesting than a handout!)

And now, although I fear they will think I'm even more of a dork than they had first realized, I am SO excited to share my blog with them!!!

Maybe I am a complete dork, but this has been a TRUE revelation for me!  Anybody else??

Struggles & triumphs

This semester has been very Foghorn Leghorn for me (you know, the rooster from Looney Tunes that steps on a rake and gets hit in the face every time he turns around... Yeah, that guy!)!  For example, when accepting my invitation to this blog, I assumed I would have the opportunity to enter my own information...  NOT the case!  My husband was the last one to check his Gmail account on the laptop I used when accepting the invitation, so... Here I am, showing up under my husband's name :-p
But... All in all, I have to say, this course has proved to be one of the greatest learning experiences I have had in some time!
I FEAR, and LOATHE technology!!!  When beginning my Rank I at UC, I realized I would have to take 15 hours of electives, and jumped at the opportunity to take this course in hopes of defeating said fear and working on my love/hate relationship with all things technological.  Thus far, despite all mishaps and unforeseen circumstances, I can report that I have been successful in both!
My students have even commented on my improved use of technologies in the classroom when showing off some of the new knowledge I have attained!
Go me! ;)

I also really enjoyed learning how to do a web blog! I have already used the one I created for this class in my own Political Science class. The students have already started responding with comments and questions as well as links of their own. This is the future of education!

Webquests

I really enjoyed learning how to do a Webquest! I have used the one I created for class in my own U.S. History Class and my students really enjoyed doing it! It was a vey positive learning experience for me as well as them and I will continue to do them with the rest of my classes.

Screencast

Screencast was something that was completely new for me & I have to admit was my favorite assignment in this class! Screencast are a great learning tool & another great way to bring learning to life! I plan on using screencast as an introduction to new material. Students who view the screencast can get a look into what will be taking place the next day at school or it can be used when working at home on assignments when students need assistance! Screencast allows for students to have access to their teacher by a push of a button! Technology is making teaching so much easier & is exposing students to a world of learning! Technology is powerful & something I will continue to learn and expose my students as much a possible!

Web Blog

I have really enjoyed this technology class & I have learned so much that I am taking back to my classroom! Technology is all around us & it is important to expose students at an early age! Technology is a way to bring learning to life & engage ALL students! My favorite thing I'm taking away from this class is the web blog! This is a great way to communicate & demonstrate with the parents what is taking place inside the four walls of my classroom! Instead of doing weekly newsletters to parents, I can save paper, copies & time just by uploading information on the web blog! This tool is something I want to continue using in m classroom for years to come! :-) Web blogging ROCKS!!!

I Will Not Lie

I am super excited about using screencasts in my classroom.  I know that it will work awesome with the smartboard.  One thing that is a must was the idea of using a podcast when you have a substitute.  The older students will probably work harder knowing that the assignment really is from you.  Looking for great things this year… Please wish me luck with this interview. 

Last Minute Blogger

Thanks for sending me an invite so late!  Third time is a charm they say :)  I went for a job interview at 6:15 this afternoon so I have been a little scatter brained all day.  This class is about to officially come to an end.  I have enjoyed learning all this new technical stuff.  I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their summer!

Individual blog

After adding my post as an author to our class web blog I am wondering if I posted my own web blog correctly :( I certainly hope so! The URL for my own blog is: http://williamsthirdgrade.blogspot.com...I think I posted it publicly but I'm suddenly doubting my self!

Relieved!!!

Finally, I am able to post as an author on the class blog! It has been a long process trying to get the invite; to say the least! However, with that being said, I feel much more confident in my abilities concerning technology after participating in this class. I am happy to say that screencasts, podcasts and web quests are all things that I look forward to incorporating in my third grade class this coming school year. I feel much more confident in my understanding of each of these due to the participation in EDUCATION 573! I hope everyone has a terrific summer!

Podcast

I must concur with some other posts I've read, creating the podcast has been the most beneficial assignment of the class. I've heard a lot mentioned about podcasts, and actually listened to many podcasts over the last couple of years, but never actually looked into and created one of my own. Since the completion of the assignment, I've been thinking of various ways this could be used in the classroom, school and district level, as well as personally. Seemed like a challenge at first, but turned out to be relatively easy to do.

New Level of Literacy

One of the aspects of the book that stuck with me was the new level of literacy that technology has brought to existence. In the past, being literate was having the ability to read and write. Currently, being literate involves much more than just the ability to read and write. Employees must be computer literate, and have the appropriate technology skills needed for the 21st century. Possessing the basic knowledge of Word, Powerpoint and Excel is now entry level, and no longer considered an advantage over others. Blogging, podcasts and social media are becoming staples in every work place. School leaders must ascertain that the education being delivered to students is preparing them for a work environment that has changed drastically over the years.

Benefits of Blogging

     Blogging for the classroom is a great idea. So many ways for the class to benefit. Students can have access to note sharing, reviews, assignment and test dates, etc.... I'm sure once I actually incorporate it into my classroom the possibilities will broaden. Great resource at no cost to the district!!!

Favorite Assignment

My favorite assignment for the course would have to be the podcast assignment.  I found the podcast assignment the most useful for my classroom.  There are numerous activities that you can do in a U.S. History classroom with a podcast.  A couple of ideas that I have already thought of for this upcoming school year are character interviews of the Great Depression era and student interviews of Vietnam Veterans.  I really feel the podcast will help with the feeling of "boredom" that students feel some time with a history class.

Continual Learning

Even though I am a fairly young classroom teacher this course really scared me.  I consulted our district multimedia teacher multiple times with worries and he always assured me how much this would help me in the classroom and how it wasn't as hard as I was making it. I felt proficient in many areas of technology already and how to implement them into my classroom but this course has really helped to broaden my ideas for my classroom.  The possibilities are endless, especially with my U.S. History courses.  This has been the most beneficial class to me so far with my graduate work at Union College.

Keeping up with Technology

     I have gained a lot of knowledge of the new technologies that can be implemented into our classrooms. On top of that I was forced to learn much more; It seemed that every time I downloaded something for an assignment a new problem arose with my PC. I think I spent as much time figuring out these problems as I did the assignments.
     Overall the experience was very beneficial to me. I believe I would have a better grade if the assignments were graded more on knowing how to use the technologies rather than how we will use them in our classrooms. Personally that is where I'm at with these technologies, I am learning how to use them and once I have a better understanding of them I will be able to effectively incorporate them into my classroom.

The thought of actually using a blog in my new classroom was an idea I had struggled with for a while.  I had a really hard time figuring out how to get my posts to publish (until I realized that I hadn't joined the group) and have had to ask for help a hundred times, but now I realize that I panicked for nothing.  I like the idea of setting up a blog so that parents and students alike can always know what is going on in the classroom.  I think this may eliminate some excuses for not having homework.  I do see it as not working for some of the students that will be in my class due to lack of internet access at home, but I feel the benefits will out weigh the cons.

Technology was an extremely scary word to me until this class.  I have learned so much in such a short amount of time.  I will begin my first year in the classroom in August.  I will definitely be using some of the things we did in class in my classroom.  I had struggled with the idea of how to implement technology in a way that the students will enjoy and learn from, not just have the technology there to say we used it.  I have already written down an assignment in which I want my students to make a podcast to deliver to the class.  I think this will help them enjoy  Social Studies and hopefully lessen the stigma that it has to be boring.

Technology

This has been one of my least favorite classes at Union so far, although it is probably one that I have learned the most. I am good with basic technology, but struggle when it starts asking me to download a program and then convert and post..and so on!  I guess I just don't have the patience for it. Through this class I realized the work is worth it. The more I create the different types of technology the easier it will get. Our students are so advanced in technology, it is important that I can keep up with them. Another great thing is that the technology introduced to me in this class doesn't involve the school having to purchase anything!

Podcast

I thought the podcast assignment had a lot of steps to complete it, but it will be a great technology for me to incorporate into my program. My brother let me know of a a wireless device that will automatically record to a MP3 file. I think this will be a great tool for my mentoring program. While I am out on a college visit, I can interview students about their experience at college and see if they have any advise for my high school students. Then I can easily upload it on to our school web page.

Technology

This class has truly opened my eyes as to how much technology is changing and improving.  I plan on using RSS feeds frequently in my U.S. History classes.  Students always seem to struggle with how to acquire and sift through information, and the RSS is a perfect solution to that problem.  A podcast on various history subjects would also be an excellent supplemental teaching tool (explaining a topic in detail etc.).  Off to finish my remaining assignments, this has been a productive class that will help me with the upcoming school year and beyond.

Beneficial

Over the last few years I've attended a couple of technology conferences and for the most part I was really disappointed.  Perhaps it is the way that I learn, but I always left feeling like it was a big waste of time.  It was nice to see and hear about technologies from different companies or teachers, but most of the sessions just didn't appear applicable to me.  Maybe I was overwhelmed with information or underwhelmed when the session names sounded more interesting then the actually sessions.  However, I suspect the biggest problem was me.

Which is why I've enjoyed this class so much.   This class has given me the opportunity to experiment with some really exciting stuff that didn't require me to have a computer science degree.  Even our textbook has been great at explaining how easy some of these services are to get started with.  I've loved the links to working examples of how other teachers are using technology with their students.  It's been really beneficial to be able to explore and interact with what they are doing.   I can't wait to see what we'll be able to bring to the table after taking this class.    

 

Classroom Blog.

I never thought that I'd be one to actually have a "classroom blog" for my students.  I've spent the last hour and a half playing with my blog that I've created and have actually became really excited with the idea and the potential that it holds.  I teach social studies to 8th grades who think that the act of using a text book is a difficult and impossible task! So I tried to help them out a little bit and create a classroom set of folders with class notes and other important infomation for them to use while in the classroom and sign out if they needed to keep them for the evening.  Nonetheless, I had a limited number and not every student was able to get a folder if they needed it.  By having a blog,  I have gained the realization that I am actually capable of taking everything in those folders and put on  this blog for all my students to access whenever and where ever they pleased!  I am a young teacher (only 25) and I've always thought that I was pretty familiar with the use of technology. But after taking this course, in the matter of just a couple of weeks, I have been exposed to a whole new world of possibilities! I was dreading school starting back and was slipping in to a state of depression with the date of August 7th creeping closer and closer (as most teachers on summer vacation do).  But now, I'm pretty excited!

First Time Every "Blogging"

I love the way that this class is set up. I am a hands-on learner and have found myself catching on to all of these new technological "toys" that I never dreamed I'd be able to do! This class has definitely given me confidence to incorporate new approaches and advanced technology into my weekly lesson plans!

More at ease with technology

Now that this class is coming to an end, I do feel more at ease with technology. It seems to take me a long time to figure out the assignments, but once I complete them it seems so easy! I am excited to create a screencast for my class and then present it with my smart board. Even my husband has become intrigued and wants to spruce up his power points in his middle school classroom. I plan to keep going with my class blog and hope to get the parents excited as well. My fourth graders will have a blast creating podcast to show what they have learned! My reluctance towards technology has changed to excitement because of this class!

Personal endorsement for Blogging

It has been a while since I've blogged anything, but I am happy to return.  I started blogging in 2007 about Converse shoes.  Unfortunately parent company Nike took Converse out of the basketball marketplace and my enthusiasm for blogging went with it.  However,  it was truly a great learning experience.  I was able to connect with some amazing people that I otherwise wouldn't have had an opportunity to do. 

Just like our textbook talks about, we should really try these tools out for ourselves before we bring them to our students.  Blogging can be as quick and fun or as complicated and serious as you want.  I would encourage all of you that haven't started blogging yet to give it a try.  Even if your post are sporadic in frequency and content, stick with it. 

New to Blogging

This is a first for me, and I'm looking forward to transferring this skill to my students.  It seems that social media is what drives our culture today, and students love to write about their experiences i.e., so why not have them use a tool that will develop their learning?  This class has challenged me and made me more aware of how technology can positively affect student learning.  The screencast was interesting, and I plan on incorporating it into a lesson about WW2 propaganda.  RSS feeds are going to be an incredible help to me (teaching history).  I noticed that Gmail is now using an RSS feed style system.  I'm off to take Exam 3 after finishing my first blog.

For any history buffs out there, here is a link to a trailer for the new Lincoln movie, its an outstanding film (our junior class went to see it this year).  If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJVuqYkI2jQ

Blogging

I am fairly new to blogging,  but through research I can really see the advantages blogs can bring to a classroom and how students can use them to be successful in the classroom.  The aspect of blogging that I like the most is the collaboration that is incorporated in them.  I like the idea of having people comment on a post and putting their own ideas into a post.   I think through time and experience blogs are something I could use in my own classroom. 

EDUC 573 Class Blog

I have really enjoyed EDUC 573, been a great learning experience for me.   I have found several ways that I can incorporate different types of technology into my own classroom whether it be through blogs, podcast, or screencast.   I feel that bringing these different types of technology into my classroom will be really beneficial to the students and help them become more successful in the class.  Before this class I had very little knowledge of all the types of technology I could be using, but now I feel I have a great enough understanding to bring these into my classroom and use them successfully..

Exciting times to be a student

When I was in school we didn't have the amazing technology we have at our fingertips today.  I imagine how exciting it would be to be a student today.  It takes more to engage the student today and this class has taught me many ways to do that. It's time to get creative in the classroom. 
~Monica~

Great Class

I have learned so many new and exciting things in this class.  I felt like I had a great understanding of technology and utilized it well.  However with this class I'm excited about all of the things out there.  My mind is thinking about all the exciting stuff I can do with this.  I'm not a teacher but volunteer for different organizations and I have thought of many things I can utilize to help.  #excitedabouttechnology
~Monica~

GLAD TO BE HERE, BLOGGING

Wow, this was fairly easy after I worked everything out. Technology can be a pain at times, but when it all comes together it can be so much more creative paper and pencil. I am very nervous about this class, something about an on-line technology class has been difficult for me. I just hope to survive until last of June, wishing everyone well also.

Practice blog

I was wanting to make sure I knew how to join in on the blog so I am doing a practice run here.  Technology can be very overwheliming at first, but hopefully as I learn I will become more at ease with the assignments.  I am just always afraid of messing up when in reality I should be thinking when at first you don't succeed, try again!

New at blogging

Well here I am trying out the blogging. This is new to me and I'm very curious to see what all I can do with it. Technology has always fascinated me but at the same time frightened me because I didn't grow up in a world of technology. I am excited at the possibilities for my classroom and my personal life with web blogs, podcasts, etc. I have not created the most eye appealing profile but as I said earlier it is new to me. I enjoy reading the other comments on here about blogging. It seems as though I'm not the only one that is a "newbie" to this and that gives me some comfort. Technology is a powerful resource and I'm hoping this class will help me to jump into it and not be so afraid.

Weblog

It was a bit of a challenge creating the weblog. I brought my surface tablet with me on vacation so I could do this assignment. The wifi at our condo kept getting interrupted for one. Secondly the mouse kept jumping around which made it very difficult. At least I got it submitted finally (with a little help from my wife). There are a lot of blogs out there that look like a website. Blogs are an easy, quick way to publish a web page. My assignment, to say the least, looks nothing like that.

Great class

I have really enjoyed this class as well. I foresee the screen cast as being very useful to me. This summer I have to do a training on CIITS. I would like to prepare a screen cast and provide it ton the teachers that come to my training.

Power from the young

I was talking to my 8-year-old grandson about my blog. He kept coming up with links he would add. It is surprising how much he knows about technology. I think I will start asking his advice on what to include. What a fun way to spend family time! HaHa! There is so much more to learn about computers and their powerful tools. Glad I don't have to learn it all at once. Have a great summer everyone!

Great class

I am very happy with all that I learned in this class. Technology is not something I am comforable using a lot of the time. I surprised myself with being able to complete the projects. I want to starta blog with my students next year on the books we are reading for class and for AR. I plan on using my web quest and creating more of them. I think the web quest will be a great center activity.

Great Class

My overall attitude toward technology has always been positive.  I have always loved incorporating technology into my lessons and classroom daily.  But little did I know before taking this class that I was only scratching the surface of great resources that were available for me to use.  I thought I was up to date with technology because I was familiar with the resources my school provides, and I am familiar with social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.  But I had never had experience doing screencasts, podcasts, WebQuests, or even blogging.  This class has broadened my horizons to newer technology that will enable me to be more effective in my classroom.  Although, this has been a very challenging class for me, it has also been very rewarding to my profession as well.

Change of Attitude

     This is the time of year when I begin to relax. The school year has ended. We will be receiving a new Reading series this year so I am looking forward to next fall. A complete school break would be nice but college goes on this summer. The end is in sight. Now that's exciting! My cohorts and I have worked so hard on the job and college. Now it's time to focus on finishing our Masters program.
     The technology class has been extremely challenging. I have had to ask for help several times. It has been a very humbling experience but empowering when each assignment has been finished. Wow, I did it! has been my warcry. lol!
     For the first time I find myself and some of my fellow teachers, asking each other for techological idea exchange. We plan on sharing Webquests, screencasts, podcasts, etc ...
We want to develop technology for our classrooms. That is the real power behind this class. Thanks Dr. Rubin and classmates for that motivation.

Thankful

I am thankful for having taken this class, as I have learned some new and interesting ways to use the computer for educational purposes.  I was able to successfully create a screencast, podcast, webquest, and create my own web blog!  I can envision many ways to use this newfound technology to help educate my students.  I realize I am having to catch up with a lot of the new technology that is available to us, but I am learning and having fun in the process.  It is enjoyable to learn a new task that before seemed only for those who were computer science majors.  I enjoy the fact that I now know how to create such things as the podcast, screencast, and webquest that will allow me to help our students learn even more.  This class has been a great experience for me, and I look forward to using my newfound technological abilities in the future.

Inspired

This class has really inspired me to do more for my students in the way of technology. After creating my blog I have decided to continue to use it for my class. Also the podcast is an excellent idea for students. I can see my class really getting involved in it.  I used technology in my classroom, however it was more interactive with the smart board, but now I feel better equipped to allow them to branch out more on their own. (with supervision of course)  This is a great class, I enjoyed doing all the assignments.   

Technology in a Kindergarten Classroom

Upon beginning this course, I will admit, I was unable to see how incorporating technology such as podcasting, screencasting, and blogging into my Kindergarten classroom would be beneficial, or even possible, considering the age of the students.  However, after diving into these new ideas with an open mind, wow... I am so excited about the possibilities for richer learning experiences in my classroom.  Screencasting, for instance, would be a perfect way to show students exactly what steps they need to go through while navigating a program on the computer. By blogging about the things we are doing in our class and providing links to other valuable resources, parents will have the opportunity to feel more connected to their child's education experience and give them appropriate support at home.  But my favorite tool that I have learned about in this class is podcasting.  There are so many ways that podcasts can be used in a Kindergarten classroom, ranging from teacher recorded podcasts for students to utilize in listening centers, to student made podcasts in which students can record themselves reading, give oral reports on research topics, or a plethora of other uses. I feel as if my eyes have been opened, and I can't wait to share the things I've learned with my students!

What I have learned

I have learned a lot of new information from taking this course. I do use technology on a daily basis, but I had no idea how to do a screencast or podcast before this class. I had heard of both, but I never understood what the amazing possibilites could be by using them in the classroom. I have used webquests before and I love the idea of having a safe way for students (especially younger students) to use the internet. Blogging can also be a great tool to use as well and I think that our textbook has some great ways for students to use facebook as an educational resource. It is very important for us as teachers to keep up with all of the new technology and what is happening in our world because most of our students seem to by flying ahead of us in the technology race. I have seen students who know more about technology than I do and I have even found myself learning from students. Even though I think it is important to keep up with new technology and be open to this new way of learning, I still believe that we should not become so dependant on technology that we forget how to think for ourselves.

New Technology Experiences

First off I have to say that this class has been pretty eye opening. I came into it thinking I would pick up a little here or a little there, and that would be it. I'm in my mid twenties and consider myself very technologically oriented. But after these few short weeks, I realized I knew nothing about using technology in the classroom. Now granted I do not currently teach, besides substituting at the middle and high school level.  But after this class, I can say I'm coming away with skills that will truly help me as an educator.

The idea of using a web blog or social media in the classroom really never crossed my mind. I have tried blogging before, but I was part of the 2/3's who abandoned their blogs after a short time. And of course I use social media, but I never really thought about it in the classroom. Most schools that I've been to are very anti-social media for the classroom. But I have seen how it can be used in a positive light to give students a voice. Let them show me in the world that they know. I simply love these two ideas as a way to get more communication and interaction with and from the students.

Lastly, I can say I have never used podcasts or screencasts, but I have to say that the idea of it is brilliant! After using it for the assignments, I started thinking about all the possibilities that they could serve in the classroom. This is definitely a tool that I will use in the classroom for things like lessons, assignments, sharing documents, and communication. I have improved my skills in all areas used in the course. And I can say that I plan on using these skills both in and out of the classroom.

Conclusively, I learned many valuable teaching tools from both the engaging online assignments and the text Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.  I am excited not just about my own new found knowledge in reference to using these technologies, but in engaging my own students through their use in my classroom.  This class has been very beneficial to me as an educator, thank you!

Class Weblog & WebQuest

I have not completed these last two assignments yet and was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions or words of advice/encouragement? I'm kind of nervous on having to complete the class WebLog!

Thanks!

EDUC 573 May 2013

Wow! First of all this class has really taught me a lot about utilizing technology into the classroom. Most of the things we have done in this class I knew about or had heard about but never really knew exactly what they were. I'm glad to have had assignments where we had to experience them first hand for ourselves! I'll admit there were a few seconds of stress with each assignment. I always thought before that I was good on a computer but I'm not going to lie I got really discouraged a couple of times! However, as long as I kept the ULearn class instructions open in one window and followed the instructions step by step it was fairly easy to load the programs and get the ball rolling so to speak and complete the assignments. I have thought of ways to incorporate the various types of technology introduced to us in this class into my own classroom. I am thankful to have had this class this summer!

Through this course...

At this point in the course I have completed all of the assignments other than the Webquest (which I am familiar with previously).  Through the different assignments I can honestly say that I have learned quite a bit and reinforced other ideas I had previously.  Through the process of making the screencast for example I was introduced to something new to me.  I had no experience with this technology and I really found it to be interesting and potentially useful for my content in my social studies classroom.

Through the creation of my class blog I can honestly say that I plan to incorporate that into my teaching next year.  I hope to experiment with how to use it to enhance my classroom and provide the students with opportunities to explore my class material in ways that haven’t been available to them in the past. 

Through the readings from the textbook I am drawn to the RSS tool.  I think that having a tool to keep track of different articles and information can really save time and effort to allow me to absorb more information in a timely manner.

Overall the experience of this class has been a positive one.  I am going to leave the class with more technological knowledge than when I entered and that is a valuable accomplishment that could benefit my students!

Technology in Education

I believe technology in the classroom is great. I use it almost everyday in my art class and I plan on using it more in the future. Technology really helps me out in Art. There are a couple of things that my students can't experience due to lack of equipment. This is where technology comes into play.

For example, I don't have a kiln or potter's wheel's for clay. So, I use an app on the Ipad called Pottery. Pottery allows the students to throw their own pottery on their own potter's wheel. The students can shape the clay any way they want and get to go through all of the steps of throwing clay. The students can even sell their piece after it's made. It's a great app.

Another app I am considering is SketchbookX. Just as the name says, it's a sketchbook. With this app the students can sketch out ideas, color them, paint them, erase them, and save it to their own sketchbook.

So, for me and my classroom, I think technology will always be there and I will always try to research and learn about new technology to use in the classroom.

I found a website that I am planning to implement in my classroom next year.  Because I have not intentionally taught any technology before I felt like I needed some guidance on getting started.  I came across this sight in my search and it appealed to me because it is written for K-5.  The sight includes an overview similar to a scope and sequence format.  Lessons include activities for word processing, spreadsheets and graphing, powerpoint presentations, graphic arts, multimedia, internet research and more.  Another reason this sight seems helpful is the suggested pacing for the presentation of the skills.  Because of the time of year I have not used the lesson plans, but certainly plan to use them next year.

http://oakdome.com/k5

Finding percents with Formulas

Today, I incorporated a website that had a formula to help with finding percents. I found this website very helpful and will most definitely use it again. Students were able to grasp the concept of finding a percent much more easily. The formula breaks down the problem step by step, and allows the student to enter the information in one at a time.

The website is:
 http://www.basic-mathematics.com/formula-for-percentage.html


Go try this formula out, you won't regret it! You can solve any percent problem with this.

Part     =      %
Whole        100

Technology in Education

Technology in Education



     I feel as though I am relatively "green" when it comes to the majority of technology.  This is my first time ever posting a blog!  I have participated in class discussion boards, but I had never set up a blog user account prior to this.  I am a fan of technology though, and I truly enjoy the many benefits that it has afforded us.   While I appreciate many of the benefits of today's technological advances, I sometimes wish I could have lived in a different era of history when things were more simple.  Those wishes fade pretty quickly though, as I realize that these technological advances afford me certain opportunities and luxuries that were not possible to those who grew up in a different era.  I do feel, however, that we can become to attached to and reliant on today's technology.  One example is the use of calculators to find answers to math problems without understanding the process it takes to come to the answer.  Another example is the television.  I enjoy watching televion as much as anyone to view my sports and movies, but I feel as though some people have come to use tv as a "babysitter" with their children rather than spend quality time interacting with them.  I also feel like we have become more of an inpatient society with all the new technology.  This is evident with the creation of such things as the microwave, and texting, as well as the craving for faster response times with computer hardware and software to name a few. 
     All of these luxuries we now have from technological advances derived from education, so we must embrace the opportunity to use technology to further advance our society.  Education allows learners to understand how technology works.  This new technology is used to help our students learn in various ways.  Just as technology is everchanging and evergrowing, we as educators must be just the same as we continually change and grow in our efforts to help our students learn.  As a physical educator and coach, I may not use as much of the new gadgets as a classroom teacher, but I have incorporated the use of projectors and computers in the gym.  I show my students informational clips using the projector at the beginning of a new unit of instruction to help them better understand what they are about to learn.  We also use technology in the form of hand-held GPS compass and tracking devices to learn about map reading and navigation with my older students.  I have also used the computer and projector to help my athletes and students understand how to compute averages - such as batting avg, avg number of steps/mile, and free throw shooting percentage/average.  We also use pedometers to help monitor and track physical effort and expenditure by looking at the number of steps they took during gym class, and then comparing it with the varying types of activities we participate in.  We also have heart rate monitors available for use, though it rarely makes it to our school as it is one unit of 40 monitors that is shared amongst all of the county schools.  So, yes I absolutely am a fan of technology and look forward to learning about new things and oppurtunities that can help our students learn.  I still have a lot to learn about technology though, especially in the realm of social networking.  I am not really a big fan of social networking as I would rather talk to someone in person, and I really don't like sharing all details of my life with everyone on the world wide web.  I never jumped on the bandwagon of all these new social networking crazes like my space and facebook.  I look forward to learning about technology as it pertains to education in this class, I just hope I don't have to create a facebook acount.     
    

           

Technology in the Classroom

 

     I admit to being technologically challenged. My senior year in high school was exciting because our county got its first computer. It filled a whole classroom and made really weird noises! Only one student at a time could even go into the room. Sound crazy? Well, I guess I'm showing my age. Lol! Technology has come soooo far in my lifetime. Young people today look at me funny when I tell them we had no computers in our house at all. They just cannot believe the world ran without them. In fact, we didn't have remote controls either. Imagine!
      In my first teaching position, we had computers, but they were very basic. The only programs students could access were purchased by the school. Most of those required CD-Roms to run. There was only limited Internet access. Attendance was not even on the computer then. In the past twelve years, I have watched technology creep into our small school with an ever increasing presence. Students have embraced whatever they are allowed to do, and it is amazing to watch the way their minds grasp this phenomenon. I wish it was as easy for this woman to become comfortable with technology. I am always bugging our tech guy. I do want to learn more about all types of technology. We have access to document cameras, desktop computers, well sometimes, and overhead projectors. This year, some of the teachers, including myself, received laptop computers for the classroom. These components will add to my ability to teach my students. I just have to become more familiar with and secure in my understanding of the operation of the machinery. I really want this class to enhance my 'not-so-technical' brain. I want to be able to assist my students in ways we have yet to imagine at our school.

Classroom Technology

While I believe that technology in the classroom can be a wonderful learning tool, I'm hesitant to use the Internet to engage with my middle school students outside of class time. There can be a real element of parenting or cyberbullying that I do not want to spend my time policing.

I will teach my students how to use technology in a respectful manner, but I'm I feel there are too many grey areas to use features such as blogs and social media.

Technology in the Educational World

      As an educator, I believe that the use of technology helps connect students in the learning process.  Looking back at my earlier experiences in the classroom, I was a fourth grade teacher and I only had one computer in my classroom.  That was the only piece of technology that existed in that room. Wow, how things have drastically changed since then!! Now, I teach first-graders using a document camara (the best invention ever), projector, five computers, and one laptop.
     I have to be honest.  Sometimes technology can be scary.  I know that I must embrace it so I can teach my students how to connect to the world in which we live.  I totally agree with our reading in our textbook about students being ahead of teachers in the technological world.  I have always had that feeling.  I am sure that this class will empower me to have a different outlook on technology and its many uses.

Technology in the Classroom

          Technology in the classroom has transformed in the 10 years that I have been an educator.  From the first day that I stepped into the class until now the difference is astonishing.  I can remember making KTIP lesson plans for the “technology” requirement and including things as low-tech as an overhead projector or using an out of date “student” computer for dial-up internet access research.  Now as you look into my classroom you can see things ranging from IPads to student laptops to a mounted projector feed into by a wireless connection. 

                These changes have impacted the way instruction is given and received.  The opportunities and possibilities are endless and honestly overwhelming.  In my own classroom my “normal” instruction includes the use of the mounted projector for internet content or a simple PowerPoint to guide instruction, I also regularly check out the set of laptops from the library to provide individual or group research opportunities.  If I walk down the hall I can see a wide variety of technology being used in the different content areas.  The math teacher next door using the IPad set the school has for math learning, the science teacher plugged in with educational YouTube videos enhancing her content, the language arts teacher with the laptop set having students type up a personal narrative.  The point is that technology has found its way into every area of learning in some way or another. 

                Are all the uses and changes brought on by technology good in my opinion?  No.  I think sometimes technology can be overused or leaned on to heavily in instruction.  But I do think the good has outweighed the bad and technology has made teaching easier in many regards.  I am also excited to see what is next on the horizon as I highly doubt technology is going to come to a screeching halt anytime soon.

technology in the classroom

I have been very thankful to have a great amount of technology supplied in my classroom. When I first began teaching I taught in a school where I had one “teacher” computer and a document camera with projector. I now am at a school where I have a promethean board, activotes, 3 classroom computers and 5 classroom i-pads. This has made a HUGE impact in how I plan, teach, and manage my classroom. When my board has been down for even a day it impacts every subject and lesson. I also am able to create many more centers and learning activities based around technology. This truly motivates and engages my 6 and 7 year olds to learn and discover more than ever. With that said, I also feel the constant pressure of the “new” and “latest” technological advancements. I know that as an educator it is my job to prepare my students for success in society. I know that having tech skills is a key component of this success. As teachers we can’t let the fear of failure or feeling uncomfortable with new technology stop us from this new technological lifelong learning. Little by little it all starts to make sense. Oh how I remember hearing “google” and “yahoo” for the first time (and laughing), now those are searches I use every day without thinking about it.

The Technology is There, but So Are the Barriers Preventing It

It is definitely astounding the leaps and bounds technology has made, even in the most recent of years. In the classroom it is the same, though the leaps and bounds are not as fast or as big as in the outside world. Though technology has evolved and will continue to evolve, the fact of the the matter is that schools, specifically speaking to America, are not making the same and necessary strides in which it needs in order to flourish and develop. There are many things that have contributed to this demise. But it is important to note two specific things about technology in the classroom. The first is that staying up to date with technology and the uses of its information is vital for the success of students in the world.  And second being that getting thus appropriate and current technology needs to and should be a top priority for those involved in making those decisions.

As someone who is not currently a teacher, but a substitute and coach, I still get to see how technology is being introduced into the classrooms, used by the students, and slowly integrated into the curriculum. I have to say, there are so many different ways to educate students that I myself never had the opportunity to use even in the last decade. The use of tools like smartboards, podcasts, computer applications, and even such things as I-Pods and I-Phones to be part of the education process is amazing. To be able to sit in a classroom in America communicating ideas and learning from people in other countries or professors at some of the best universities in the world is a gift. 

To gain the upper hand in using this technology, our schools need to be equipped with the resources to achieve the high standards the world has placed before them. But the truth is that many different obstacles stand in the way. One giant mountain in the way of this is funding and availability of these resources in all schools. The fact is that many schools are not afforded the technology possible to stay current with the world and thus, they loss their students. States fund their schools in different ways and because of this, some schools find themselves on the back burner of technology. There are teachers who want to use this idea or that technology, but do not have the resources to do so. Along with not having the resources needed, there is also the lack of knowledge in the educators to use this technology to deliver the information and educate their students. This is why it is vital that we address these two factors, as well as others, in hopes of giving our students the best we can give them in a world that is constantly progressing and moving forward.

Technology

Technology is taking over everything. It is almost scary to think about what can be accomplished  by using it. It can be dangerous in the wrong hands, just as with anything. Technology also has many positive advantages. For instance, the use of this blog can reach many people at one time who can respond to it. It seems almost unreal that when I was a Sophomore, I took the first computer class at my school. We had been using the famous typewriter. Now look how technology has evolved. My daughter has an IPhone 5 and I still have an old track phone. As a teacher, I feel very behind in this area. I do use the regular stuff that has been around for a while like the document camera, United Streaming videos, and PowerPoint. I have just recently been given an inter write pad. But it just seems like something else that I have to learn and become use to. I am sure I will like it after I am comfortable with it.

Technology in the classroom

Technology is a wonderful tool to use in the classroom. Considering our world is becoming more and more advanced when it comes to technology, I believe our students should be able to learn as much as they can about it. Technology can be used in many different ways. Students can use the internet to do research which is something they will depend upon for college courses. Smartboards are being used so students can participate in interactive activities. Document cameras have taken the place of projectors when it comes to showing handouts to an entire class, and ipads are being used for interactive activities as well. Teachers are using discovery education to show their students videos and find other resources such as handouts to supplement the videos. They are also using technology to keep in touch with parents whether it be through a blog or e-mail. Most schools have web pages which allow parents and community members to view information about upcoming events, meetings, extracurricular activities, and more. Some teachers are even utilizing facebook to let parents know of things that are going on in the classroom and to share pictures. Technology is even great for teachers when differentiating instruction. Some students learn better using technology, and typing assignments can help students who have poor handwriting. Typing can also be used as an accomodation for students who are dyslexic. Even though I think technology is great to use in the classroom, I also do not think it should be completely relied upon. I have seen high school students who cannot do simple math without a calculator and some who completely rely on spell check.  Computers can get viruses and the internet has many websites which can be inappropriate for students. With all of this being said, I think technology is good if it is used in the right way.

Technology in the Classrooms

Classrooms have changed dramatically in the past ten years. Technology is at the main front of everything we are suppose to do. Textbooks companies are encouraging the purchase of Ipads to download their textbook.  It is a great idea but for a school with 80- 90% free lunch the idea of an Ipad as the only textbook and having students take them is not realistic, especially in the lower grades. I know technology is very important and I am all for using it but what is too much use?  Students still need basic skills that require paper and pencil.  Common Core standards require students to write and explain answers, not just give an answer. They have to explain how they found the answer using numbers, words, pictures, and equations.  They do not get to use technology on this test. So if you are using technology and only technology how will these students succeed on the common core test. 21st century student will need to be tested in a 21st century way.  Standardized tests will no longer allow calculators to be used. Students are going to have to figure out problems the old fashion way.  There needs to be a balance between technology and paper and pencil. How much is too much or too little technology? We all need to be on the same page, classrooms, schools and testing, so our students can succeed as a 21st century students.

Philosophy of Technology

I totally agree that connectivism is replacing the old way of thinking and learning. “Is it is a good idea?” Well, that remains to be seen. With technology advancing as quickly as it is, I don’t know if we will ever be able to keep up. As educators we are already way behind. Something bigger and better is always replacing the “new” thing. Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism theories apply to the intrinsic way of learning, while connectivism is more of an outward appearance of learning. Connectivism is how well people function and utilize tools. To me, it is more of an inquiry or discovery learning style for the students. Teachers are going to have to become more of an organizer, planner, and researcher to keep up with the new trends. We are going to have to find all the research and put it into one place for the students to easily locate, especially for smaller children. We are going to have to set the scene for learning in an entirely new way. Instead of lecturing or giving the information, we set it up for the students to find on the computer, and then they give us the output of what they discovered. As for job skills in other areas, it is more about work ethic and the willingness to find solutions to problems. Also, people are going to have to make connections to find what they need. No longer do you have to have all the “brains” you just have to be able to locate the “brains of the operation”. Technologically savvy people are going to have an advantage over book smarts. The connectivism era is going to connect people to a diversity of fields that they can be successful in.
http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Technology in my classroom

I think that technology in the classroom is an wonderful tool(s). I teach third grade and I use technology in the classroom often. My students are responsible for a writing folder, that contains typed and handwritten work.  I also use technology to engage my students in reading and math skills. I use Study Island with controllers, (voters) which allows student to respond to questions on the Smartboard. Additional programs that are offered to our students, including Fastmath and Compass.  In the district that I teach, our students take part in computer based MAP testing.  Technology changes quickly, teachers now find it's our duty to share what knowledge we have with our students to help prepare them for the future, In which technology definitely will play a major role.

Technology Raising today's kids!

To me technology is something that can make life easier, but also can keep us from learning to think for ourselves.  I feel that there is no way around the future idea that technology is in your face all the time.  As an educator I try to understand what interests my students.  I always ask them on Monday mornings what they did over the weekend.  The majority of my students say: " I played xbox...", and then go in to great detail about their games.  Did they play outside? NO! Did they have meaningful conversations with one another? NO!  As an adult and parent I see that technology is raising our children today.  It may be video games, phones, wiki's, etc.  I personally have a problem with spending more time using technology to communicate with one another than having a personable conversation.  Don't get me wrong, technology is spreading faster each day.  I have learned to embrace technology or get flattened by it.  I think that technology has grown so fast that we as a human race have failed to grow intellectually to keep up with it. I am sorry to not salivate at the mouth when I see a new gadget, but I feel that we are not using technology the right way.

Common core Math standards are getting back to the basics of Math, and knowing when, where, and how to use basic skills in multi step problems. I feel that many of us in public education, have seen fads come and go in trying to teach today's kids.  I think that with proper training, technology can be the single biggest impact to connect today's student to the basics of Math and the basic skills at the elementary level.  I honestly don't know where I would be without a computer in my class along with projectors, promethean boards, activotes, and several PC's to allow my student's to do research, and practice various skills online.

Use of Technology in the Classroom

I feel like technology use is a great tool to utilize in your classroom, however, I do not feel that it should be solely relied upon. I do quite a bit of online research while planning instruction in my Kindergarten classroom. I view teacher's blogs and use social media sites such as Pinterest to "borrow" ideas and activities for my kids. I also utilize my smart board daily in my room and show my kids videos from discoveryeducation.com and brainpopjr. As far as individual use I do not have any student computers in my room, however I do utilize iPads in my room. They are only used as a reinforcement of material already taught. For example I recently did a unit of study with seasons. There is an app dealing with seasons. They view a picture and the voice on the app describes a season and in the picture are a boy and girl. The role of the student is to click on things that do not belong in the picture so that it will change to what is appropriate for the described season. For example the background had snow and bare trees well the boy in the picture was wearing flip flops. The student had to click on the flip flops and it changed to snow boots. I only have 5 iPads available for my room and they must be checked out from our after school program so when I use them they are used in a learning center.
I think it's great to incorporate technology into your classroom because like the article stated it is becoming more prevalent. In my case today I had planned in using Internet videos/activities for my class on the smart board for my grammar lesson and it turned out our Internet was down today so....always have a back up plan!

Technology in a Classroom

Technology has certainly came a long way over the past years. I understand that the future will  rely heavily on technology, such as computers, Smart Boards, Cell Phones, Ipads, Ipods, etc. I also believe that students should be able to learn hands-on. I taught one year of Kindergarten and one year of 1st grade, and some students can't grasp the idea of technology as a whole. Don't get me wrong, they love getting on the computer and doing educational activities. I just feel as if students should take part in hands-on activities to better their understanding of topics. I use technology quite often, but class activities are great, as well.

Love Podcasts

My classroom is a little different from most classrooms of my peers in the class.  My classroom is a fitness studio.  I teach group fitness instructors how to instruct classes.  One of the most valuable aspects of this class has been learning how to utilize podcasts.  Using this method has allowed me to carry this technology to my current curriculum by sharing songs and cueing techniques via podcasting.  It has been a great tool and has made instructing much easier!! I'm using it consistently in my daily training. 

Fantastic Class!!

Every student should take this class!!  No matter what your major or interest this is a perfect class to learn the current technology trends today.  Technology is everywhere and continues to grow in classroom, work environment and our social life!  This has been a great class and I learned so much!  Thank you Dr. Rubin for a great learning experience!!

Technology in Classrooms

Although I agree with the use of technology within the classroom I am in full support of a solid educational basis being applied before confusing students with technology.  A strong base of the basic understandings of the lesson being taught is essential for students to be able to build their learning on with the use of technology.  I hope we never get to the point of using only technology and quit using good, old fashioned lecture to teach our students the various subject areas covered within a school system.

Great Eye-Opening Class

Dr. Rubin has helped me to open my eyes to the advances and uses of different technologies within the classroom.  I was very intimidated by this class at first, and thought about dropping but I am glad I stuck with it. This class has become so beneficial to me in that it exposed me to various technologies available to teachers, and students. I would recommend this class to anyone who needs exposure to technology use within any classroom.

All good things must come to an end...

I am so grateful for this class and I have learned so much! I have loved reading other blog posts and since we are teachers it is so easy to relate to each other. Teaching is a profession that I believe you must be "called" to do. It takes special people to do what we do. I am by no means saying that I am special, but I respect and adore any and every teacher!! This has been a great experience and Dr. Rubin has been absolutely wonderful. This is also my last class for my Masters!!!! I am beyond excited, relieved, and happy to be close to the end... just makes it a little sad when you have such wonderful teacher and classmates! I hope everyone takes what we have learned and apply it to our classrooms to help enrich our instruction for our students! God Bless You All!!! :)

EDUC-573B

This course was very useful and informative, it deals with some of the core aspects of student learning with technology. I enjoyed the textbook (Blogs, wikis, podcast) and will surely use it as my guide to implement what I have learned into the classroom. This was a great opportunity for learning!!!!

Enjoy Reading Posts!

In addition to all of the great things I've learned in this class and the ways I have used new types of technology and plan to continue using them in my classroom, I have really enjoyed reading my classmates' posts!  I love to read about ways that my peers are utilizing the new types of technology that we've learned about in this class.  It gives me ideas and inspiration.  I really love our class blog, a little network of teachers learning from their peers and sharing ideas.  :)

Math Teachers

For any math teachers.  Explore:  http://www.wolframalpha.com/

TECHNOLOGY

Technology is a great tool to use in the classroom.  This class has been very beneficial and has given me new avenues to create assignments!

Technology

This class has been a great experience and I have learned so much about technology and how to use it in the classroom. I really enjoyed pod casting, screening and just playing around with adding effects to power point slides.

Course feedback

This course was very useful.  I had very little knowledge about blogs, screencasts, podcasting, and webquests.  Now I feel very comfortable utilizing these technologies.  Thanks to Dr. Rubin for teaching this class!

GREAT CLASS!!!!!!!!

It's official, this is my last blog post of the semester.  Not only have I completed a class that I put off until the very last, I have completed my last assignment for my entire college career.  Over the past eight years I have worked really really hard,  enjoyed some of the classes, and spent a lot of money to make $35,000 a year.  What was I thinking?

Until we meet again!!!!!!!!!

GREAT CLASS!!!!!!

Wow, another semester already passed by.  I hope that everyone has had enjoyed the class as much as I have throughout the past few weeks.  At the beginning of class, I was scared of what this class consisted of and if I could do the work.  This class has definitely made me adventure outside my confort zone and produce work that I thought I was incapable of doing at times.  Yest, I would have to say that the work was a challenge, and even a headache somtimes (thank God for Doug at the helpdesk).  I would have to say hats off to Dr. Rubin for giving great step by step instructions, as well as those helpful emails that made the class a great learning experience.  Furthermore, I hope to utilize some of the ideas within my class in the near future such as the podcasts and the webquest.  Lastly, this particular class helped me to realize that staying in your comfort zone as an educator is something you should never do, because stepping outside the box is what separates good teachers from great teachers.

My Experience

I was hesitant to that this class online because I normally do not do well with technology is someone is not guiding me through the correct steps. This class gave me confidence to play around with new technology.  I learned the more you play around with technology, the more you can learn. I am excited to incorporate new technology into my future classes. 

Technology in the Classroom

This class is by far the most useful class I have taken throughout my college career. I was interested in incorporating technology into my classroom, but I had no idea where to start. My favorite assignment for the class was creating a screencast. I believe this use of technology will be extremely helpful to my students. Students will be able to see my screencast on my classroom blog and also be asked to create their own screencasts for classroom projects. All the teachers I have observed or student taught under had classroom blogs. I love the idea of having a classroom blog because it can be used as a tool for students and parents to communicate better with the teacher. I had a difficult time learning about podcasting but now that I have been introduced to the new technology, I am confident to incorporate it into my classroom. I believe the students will enjoy working together to create their own podcast.  I am excited to bring the newest technology into my classroom lessons.

My experience

This class has been a wonderful experience for me. I had heard of things such as podcasts, screencasts, and webquests before but, like anything, until you create one yourself you don't truly understand  the different ways you can incorporate them into your classroom. I will definitely take ideas from this course and use them to benefit my students. I would recommend this course to any future teacher simply because of the amount of students that learn best through the implementation of technology in today's generation.

Technology Class

This class has introduce me to the concept of using blogging as a communication device .One problem, I have had is finding a way to connect with parents and the community effectively.  By having a class blog, I can effectively communicate with students, parents, and the community about the different activities from class and school.

Great Experience

I have learned so much from this class.  Technology always made me nervous, but this class has made me realized that its not as bad as I always thought.  I would have never had tried making a blog or a podcast (things I never even knew what they were) but now I am not afraid to introduce these things in my classroom.  This class has introduced so many new things for me to explore.  One of my most favorite things that I have learned was the podcast.  I do believe my students will love to make create one for the class.  I am very glad that I took this class!!  I will recommend it to others.

Technology

This class has introduced me to new aspects of technology that I was unaware of.  This class has opened my eyes to new teaching methods that I can implement in my classes especially podcasting.  I have realized that podcasting can be used for labs, homebound students, or when students are absent.  When I am absent from the classroom, I can use podcasting to effectively present the learning material to the students.

Technology for Future Use

I learned a lot in this class about technologies I knew existed, but I had never thought about using in my classroom. I created another blog for a project in another class. If not for this technology class, I would have never given it a thought. I also plan on starting a fishing/hunting/outdoors blog for personal use. I hope that next school year I can use some of the new technologies we've learned about. I'm pretty computer savvy so most of the assignments weren't any trouble. I wasn't a fan of creating the podcast even though I enjoy listening to them. My favorite assignment was webquest. I had never heard of or seen one before class. And the students really enjoyed it.

Screencast

I really enjoyed the screencast just for the simple fact that I could use it to give a lesson on a day I have to be out of the classroom. I plan on using it the next time I have an appointment and need to keep moving with my lesson. A lot of the youtube videos I use in class are from screencast and I didn't even know what the were called. It was really neat, but took a few trys to get it right. With a better mic and some practice I think I could be efficient at it.

Screencast

I thought that the screencast was a really neat resource and something that I could definately see myself utilizing in my classroom in the future.  I can see it being very useful for demonstrating through diagrams for the students to view and see independently as well.  I could also see my students useing this to demonstrate thier knowledge of certain aspects of agriculture such as carcass evaluation, anatomy identification, and pest identification as well.  Very useful tool that I plan to implement into my classroom.

Technology in education

I have thought for a long time that utilizing new up to date technology was essential in the classroom to keep up with these technology based students.  Students are utilizing technology at a rapid rate and it is essential that our classroom keeps up with that rate.  In this class I learned some great tools that I can utilize in my classroom as methods of integrating technology into the class.  The podcasts I think will be really neat to utilize, allowing students to individually do a recording about a certain topic.  The webquest is also a very structured way to allow students to use the internet as a research tool for different projects.  Very informative and gave me some very useful technological tools to use in my classroom.