Surprise! We Know More Than You :-P

During the implementation of some new technological resources that I discovered through my EDUC 573 class I quickly learned that my students can easily surprise me. The content was digestive systems of livestock. The previous method of delivery? Lecture with a powerpoint and guided notes. Yes, it involved more technology, but I needed more. Therefore I flipped the script and split students into groups where they would deliver the needed content and information. The added tech bit? Students would have the opportunity to do so using one of three options: podcast, video, or screencast. Surprise 1: Students didn't all flock to the podcast option, instead visiting each option. This group of students took time to visit every option and every option was chosen by at least one group. Surprise 2: While students didn't initially know what was expected or how to use a particular option, they caught on quick and surpassed my abilities even quicker. I'm not one who is light when it comes to competition and even the smallest thing I will try to compete at. So when these students advanced past me my competitive spirit caught up with me and I had to learn how they did those things! While both were surprises they were pleasant experiences and I'm sure there will be more to come in my journey.

New Roads, New Tech Resources

One of my favorite memories, or collection thereof, from my childhood is taking a Sunday drive with my grandfather. Often we had no destination and it seemed as if every time we ventured out for a few hours we would always take some new route. Today, gas is about double what it was then and the days seem to be much shorter and faster so these drives are something that are few and far between for me. However, I have found that I can satisfy that need and desire in other ways and one of those just happens to have occurred during my journey through EDUC 573 at Union College in Kentucky. Through this course I have been able to implement many new technological resources that I honestly never expected to even come close to understanding. It has not only given me new resources, but the ability to make a dull lecture into an interesting assignment that the student does more teaching and work than myself. I feel that I have become a better teacher and educator by transitioning more into a guide through the journey of the content. And that journey seems to be one that we will continue to take new roads on.

Applying EDUC 573 Personally

Unfortunately I do not at this time have the type of position where I can utilize all of the technology tools we have learned in a professional setting. However, for my own benefit I plan to wholehearted delve into the content I have been taught and continue to stay on top of things in hope of one day being able to use them on a daily basis in an educational setting. Until then I think making a blog that family members can view rather than blowing up my fb with soon to be new baby pictures may just be the ticket.

Applying EDUC 573 Professionally

I have learned a vast amount of new information in this class. I believe that given the right classroom environment the principles taught in the book would facilitate an amazing and effective learning process. From the screen cast to blogs all of the technological aspects would be an excellent way for students to connect on another level to each other and the world in a safe and appropriate manner. Many education institutions still possess a very traditional look on education and technology in the classroom. However, I hope there can become a common ground where this type of learning process and utilization of the technology available is not only acceptable but encouraged.

Screencasting in Special Education

Throughout this course I feel as though I have learned and implemented many valuable forms of technology into my classroom. However I feel as though the most valuable form of technology I have implemented with success is a screencast. I am currently a teacher of students that are in a Functional Mental Disabled unit. I have 12 students that all have low IQ's but all are learning at different levels. I struggle to ever miss a day of work, I could be so sick and I will come in because there are not may substitutes that are able to teach my students. Now when I say "able to teach my students" it doesn't mean that they lack the want to teach them, however my students require intense structure throughout every moment of their day. Many of them also learn things through memorization and repetitive practice. If I show them how to complete an addition problem one way, and a sub shows them how to complete an addition problem another, it can sometimes throw them completely off and the skill of addition is a loss for those moments. I constantly am looking for ways to make EVERYONE in my classroom's life easier…in comes a screencast. I have discovered that skills I want to be taught in a particular way can even be completed when I am not in the classroom. I can do these by using a screencast. It has been extremely affective for my students, but it has also been extremely affective for the staff that work in my classroom. Everyone knows exactly how things are to be done throughout a problem, because they have a screencast that provides an algorithm to follow. I will absolutely continue to implement this into my classroom through the rest of my time teacher. I see that it can help my students in the classroom and I am excited to implement in through our classroom blog in order to be a support for parents at home as well.

Screen casting

It is my opinion that screen casting is a very useful tool. This type of activity can be used in the classroom by the teacher to explain step by step procedures on how to complete assignments. An example of this is that lets say it is the beginning of a school year and you have a new class that is unfamiliar with the log in procedures for Study Island. As the teacher, a screencast can be completed demonstrating the log in procedures during their planning time. This screencast can be used over and over, year after year, as long as that program is used. Students can use the screen cast and learn how to use the specified program. You will have achieved the same goal using the screen cast as if you had presented the info. lecture style. Plus, your students may even be more interested and enthusiastic about the assignment if they are in control of the learning process.

Online Class Trials and Triumphs

Upon signing up for EDUC 573-B I had never had an online course. However, having taken many computer/technology courses during the pursuit of my bachelors degree, being the colleague that fixes tech issues, and by dabbling in computer/tech repair I figured this would be n easy task for a person of my self perceived talents. My thoughts couldn't have been any farther from reality than a person thinking that there is a money tree farm owned by the federal government. The first issue was learning how to navigate the site and determining due dates for assignments. After stumbling through the site I felt a sense of accomplishment. Now was the time to begin the assignments. PowerPoint, exams, blogs, screencast, etc. this is not going to be that difficult for someone like me, was the thought going through my mind. Wow! Was I ever wrong. I spent countless hours emailing Dr. Rubin, working on assignments through trial and error, connecting to fellow educators, researching how to videos/sites, and more. I now know how little I knew at the beginning of this class and by learning how to do these activities, my knowledge of technology has been brought up to speed. This knowledge will allow me to continue to pursue more knowledge and stay up to date on current technological advances.

Productive Class

Unlike some of the classes I have taken where the assignments were basically “busy work” the assignments in this class produced a product that I can actually use in the classroom.  My knowledge of and ability to create web quests, screencasts, web blogs and PowerPoint presentations has been greatly increased. I would recommend this class to any teacher who is interested in integrating technology into their lessons.

 

Response to EDUC 573

Although I am somewhat familiar with technology (PowerPoint, etc.) I did not realize how little I knew until I took this class.  Surprisingly, although feeling somewhat overwhelmed, I have enjoyed the projects in this class and feel that I am much better prepared to implement these types of technology in the classroom.  Interestingly I felt the weblog was a lot easier to create than most of the other projects.  I have worked with a National Board Certified teacher who used blogs in her classroom but I was unsure in how to create one myself. In the future I plan on using and refining what I have learned while becoming more tech-savvy.

Classroom Blog

Creating my own classroom blog was probably the assignment I liked the most.  Although I feel like I still have a lot to learn about designing and adding content to it I believe it is something I would like to continue to use in my classroom.  I feel like the blog concept has relevance and would be an excellent way to communicate with my students and their parents.

Surprised By the Result!

I registered for this class because it was a requirement to complete my program. When I looked at the syllabus and saw the assignments that were expected of me I was completely overwhelmed. I decided I would just tackle each task as they were due and try not to let it get the best of me. Surprisingly, most activities were not as difficult as I expected them to be. I have truly learned a lot from this class and I plan to implement the things I learned in my own classroom.