End of Semester Reflection

What I learned:

This semester's technology class gave me so much insight into the classrooms of today, and the ways in which teachers should teach. I used to think that technology was just for classrooms of the future. I never thought that we would actually be using the SMART Boards and DocuCams for our teaching. It just seemed somewhat ridiculous and out of reach. This technology class taught me mostly to open my eyes to the many opportunities that technology has to offer for student learning. My attitude adjusted from seeing technology as a hinderance in the classroom to technology being used as a tool to better learning. This class mainly got me familiar with how to research resources of technology, especially the ones that can be free. Technology in the classroom is much like a doctor in the hospital. The doctor cannot memorize every single disease known to man, but what the doctor can do is know how to research symptoms to find the resources that he is looking for. This is how I feel about technology now. I do not need to know every technology website for the classroom that is on the web, nor can I know everything that is out there on the web. What I can do is utilize my resources to find what I am looking for to enhance my teaching in the classroom. What a great and healthy way to engage students in classroom learning and to expand their thinking!

 

NETS (National Educational Technology Standards)

Below is one of the NETS for teachers that I chose to focus on this semester and how I accomplished that.

• Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments: Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS-S teachers.
• Response: This semester I designed and developed assessments on the SMART Board to provide both formative and summative assessments for myself and my students. I found that I love the SMART Response quizzes and tests because they give immediate results of the scores. It provides a list of the scores of each student, as well as a whole class average. The features of SMART Response seem endless, and it was a great way to incorporate a contemporary tool to maximize content learning through technology. Students then do not have to sit with a pencil and paper every single time a test comes along. Through the use of technology in assessments, I can develop and strengthen the attitudes of my students, thus strengthening the goals of the NETS. I also found several other ways to assess student work in creative and exciting ways. There are many different ways for students to upload assignments onto a class blog or class website for the teacher to assess. I played around with this idea in my semester project and had students upload a video, as well as the story book that they created online to my class blog. What a fun way to have students turn in assignments, and what a great way for me as a teacher to assess homework using several different strategies to incorporate all different learning styles!

Final Technology Project

My Project

Here is how you must get to my online storybook:

• 
  
  Go to the online website called Tikatok
• 
  
  Sign in as me. Here is the login information to my account.
• 
  
  Username: JaclynRWilliams
• 
  
  Password: tikatok
• 
  
  Then click on the title of my book A Little Birdie Told Me.
• 
  
  Sidenote: There are 2 ways to view an outsider's book. You may download the pdf file, which I could not upload to blogger, or you can just log into the account of the author. I would have all of my students email me a copy of their book in a pdf file. However, for this project, log into my account to view my book. Then you will be able to see all of the neat features that Tikatok has to offer.

Features of Technology Used and Learned

• Create a storybook online through the website Tikatok:
• I learned how to edit photos and upload them to the pages of the book.
• I learned how to maneuver the Tikatok website in order to create a book, by experimenting with my imagination, text, and media photos.
• I created my own style of a children's book using my own storyline and inspiration.
• Create a video through PhotoBooth and displayed it through Blogger:
• I used PhotoBooth on my mac to create a video describing my children's book.
• I learned to upload the video through Blogger, so that it could be viewed inside of a blogpost.

Issues encountered during the project and how I solved them

When I first started to create my book through Tikatok, it was not letting me add several features that I wanted to my storybook. It would not allow me to add my name as the author, and it would not allow me to upload pictures onto the pages of my book. I thought to myself, "Oh no. I thought that I had done this before, and I remember it had let me. This is not good." It kept telling me that I needed to sign up for a membership. I thought that a membership cost money per month, but when I finally tried, I remembered that a membership is free. This is why I liked the website so much. Students are able to create their own account for free. Then they can start their own studio of books that they created and place them in an online bookshelf on their account. That opens up many different ideas for projects in the classroom. Once I figured out how to sign up for a membership, which was very simple, I was able to add my name as the author and upload pictures to the pages of my book.
When I wanted upload the video to blogger, I knew from the start that I was going to have issues. This is one of the reasons that I chose this technology feature for my project. I wanted to learn how to get a video onto blogger in a blogpost. Since there is no visible link in my tool bar to click as I do to upload photos, I had to find other ways to go about uploading the video.

What the project means to me and how I will use it as a teacher

The inspiration of this project has been sitting and stirring inside of me for quite some time. I have been wanting to find an outlet for students to create a book of their own online. I see the many different ways that teachers have students create class books and how the students enjoy making them. Students love to create something that is published because it becomes a great accomplishment for them. So I have always thought that creating a book online would be a fun way for students to feel a sense of accomplishment while integrating technology.

Here's how it would work in the classroom. Students will create their own storybook through use of the website called TikaTok. This site provides templates to kick-start ideas for students on their book. This is a great way to integrate technology into the classroom. Rather than having the students write up a book on paper, with pencil and crayons, as we all have experienced, children will instead get the chance to develop their ideas in a much more challenging way. It can integrate all units of the curriculum; for example, you can have the students create a book on their favorite animal that was studied in the science unit. Students will have fun researching and getting creative with this assignment.
Then, the students will use Blogger to upload a video on the class blog describing the book that they created. This can include the process it took for the student to create the book, or it can be an explanation of the inspiration of the idea of the book. Students will need access to a video camera and can take time in class to upload the video and edit it before placing it on the class blog site for parents and fellow classmates to see.

Listed below are the NETS for students and teachers that relate to this project and how they can be incorporated in the classroom.

NETS (National Educational Technology Standards)

For teachers:

• Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments: Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS-S teachers.
• Response: This standard is important to me as a teacher because it is my job to provide many different strategies of learning in order to reach each and every individual student. In math, I must provide different problem-solving approaches that lead to the same solution because what works best for one student, may not work best for another student. The same goes in relationship to presentation through technology in learning. Through this project, I am able to customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources. Students are able to work on the computer, using many different features and presentation skills through technology. I am also able to provide students with multiple forms of assessment because of the many different folds that this project offers. Students are working with photos, text, video, and imaginative content as they create their project. This gives me as the teacher many different ways to assess each project in order to secure correctness of learning achievement.
• Six ways to work on this standard specifically for this project:
• Students will use the SMART board to present their videos and online storybooks to the class. The will get practice with their speaking skills and be able to work with the SMARTBoard fluently in order to give a proper presentation.
• I will hand students a grading rubric of what is expected of them on this technology project, so that they can know what will be assessed. This will help me get practice with creating sound rubrics that are a good learning experience with technology.
• Students will be turning in their project to me online through blogger, rather than handing the project in on paper. This will give me practice with grading and assessing technology assignments through the online database of blogger.
• I will know and understand the SMART Board and Blogger in order to more quickly and more efficiently assess the students in my classroom.
• I will create and customize my own storybook and video to present on the SMART board as an example for students.
• I am providing different outlets for students to learn.

For Students:

• Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
• Response: This standard is important for the students because it will benefit them to have the ability to think outside of the box. Education cannot be handed to a student on a platter. Instead, a student must explore and create in order to obtain knowledge. With this project, students are using their own imaginations to write a storybook. The will be required to think outside of the box by coming up with content for their storybook. They will be the author and designer of their book, which encourages creative thinking. It is important for me as the teacher to encourage students to expand their knowledge through creative thinking, and then to incorporate a hands-on plan for them to produce a product of their thinking.
• Three ways to work on this standard specifically for this project:
• Students will create a storybook on Tikatok that they will present to the class. They will come up with their own storyline, style of text, and illustrations. This gets the students to use higher levels of thinking while using technology because they must produce a product from scratch through technological artistic ability. They will be able to explore Tikatok and construct their thoughts into a book. This will be an original work of the student's to demonstrate creative thinking, construction of knowledge, and the development of a process and product using technology.
• Students will create a video of their very own to display their hard work and creativity on the storybook that they made. The video will tell of how the student was inspired about the storyline and theme of the book and the process by which the student created the book.
• They will then upload the video and the book to the class blog as a post. This will help build skills with technology and understanding how it works. These will be private blogs, viewable only by parents of students in the class and teachers. This project will assess the students' final progress through the use of technology. It will challenge the students to think outside of the box to construct an original page of their own. This assignment will also demonstrate students' creative thinking, construction of knowledge, and the development of a process and product through the use of technology.

The Future of Technology in the Classroom

I watched and listened to a YouTube video called Classroom of the Future HD: What's New in Educational Tech. The video described what we can expect as teachers in terms of technology in our classrooms for the future.

The video talked about the possibility and likelihood of having several different screen projectors throughout the classroom. I can see how this would be a probable advancement in the classroom because teachers would be able to dock several different slides up at once. This would be very useful for having a larger classroom with more students. It could also be of great help during centers, when the students are divided into several groups to each perform a different task. I know...I thought the same thing..."Doesn't having several screens up in the classroom seem a bit over the top?" Maybe for now it does, but the future always brings advancements. Years ago, teachers probably thought that the SMART Board project idea was unneeded, and now today many teachers say that they do not know what they would do without it. Sometimes technology advancements may seem unreasonable, but they happen and we can always find ways to make the advancements useful for our teaching.

I am excited about the future and what it holds for the classroom. Our job as teachers will never become dull because newly arriving technologies will always keep us on our feet.

K12 Online Conference

Little Kids, Big Possibilities by Kelly Hines.

This conference session focused on web 2.0 tools that could be used in the classroom. A web 2.0 tool that was demonstrated in this session was Wordle, which our class became familiar with this semester. The web 2.0 tool that I thought was most interesting that Hines talked about was called WallWisher. Check it out! Here is what this tool is all about:

• It is an online word wall that lets students operate with sticky notes.
• These notes can be used for announcements, note taking, or projects.
• Its easy. There is no registration for students required. Logging in for young students tends to be a bit of a struggle, and this is not required on WallWisher.
• Its effective. You can upload multi media to the wall such as pictures, music, and video to multiple pages.
• Its intuitive. You can do more than just write. It has the post-it note functionality.
• WallWisher can be used to share, to sort fact and opinion, to create discussion, to summarize, and to sequence.
• You can maintain multiple walls for the same dashboard...much like on blogger.
  

Hines used an example of a class wall created by WallWisher that she used with her 4th graders. As they watched a Magic School Bus video that related to their science lesson, students took notes through WallWisher. They created different sticky notes for each animal, including facts on the animal. Once the video was over, students were able to reorganize their notes. This created powerful discussions on how each students sorted their notes and why. In science, you must be able to classify and reclassify information, and WallWisher gave the perfect outlet for students to do so.

Since the 1st video was only about 20 mintues, I decided to find another session to join. This was focused on the iPod Touch in the Classroom by Kern Kelley.

We all know that cell phones are not allowed in the classroom because they are a distraction to learning and often times a hazard if students were to ever refer to their cell phone during a test. A new feature of Apple came out called the ipod Touch. Shockingly, man elementary school students have one. It is their outlet to the web and ultimately is their connection to the outside world. Rather than limiting student's access by taking away their ipod Touch, why not find ways to use it in the classroom. I read in an article at the beginning of the semester that when children power down their devices (cell phones, iPods, etc.), they also power down their brains. Why not integrate their everyday technology into the classroom?

Kern Kelley proved the ways in which an iPod Touch could function as an important educational tool both inside and outside the classroom. Have you heard of netbooks? Netbooks serve as a notebook in the form of a laptop computer. Internet and email is accessible through these netbooks as well. There has been a huge increase in the purchase of netbooks this last year, and there seems to be a push for schools to put more machines into students hands. Since we are all trying to save money, I liked what Kelley had to say when he mentioned that "at a price point even lower than current netbooks, the iPod Touch is a great compliment to any classroom." While many schools still do not allow cell phones, an iPod Touch bridges that gap. The Wifi access can provide a tremendous opportunity for students and teachers to browse the web, type a response, record audio or calculate a problem. The form factor makes many classroom tasks manageable while the design of the device requires far less technical support than most laptops. After watching the session, I still am not 100% sold on letting children use their iPods in the classroom because other technologies, such as the calculator and SMART Board can be used to suffice the loss. However, being that I have a younger brother who owns an iPod Touch, I can see how it would be beneficial to find ways to integrate it into the lesson. I know that he would just be ecstatic if he was able to use his iPod Touch as a tool in class.

Reflection 12

WHAT?

Remember way back when….say about 6^th grade….when we all had to do a weekly current event? You would find a newspaper each Sunday and answer the questions Who? What? When? Where? How? And Why? Within the article that you chose. Well now, students are still doing current events, but they have added a higher standard to it. Current event assignments have advanced into technology.

SO WHAT?

Here is a description of a lesson plan that can be given from grades 6-12: Students listen to a news podcast and use a graphic organizer to record what they learn. The assignment is simple, yet a lot more high tech than before. Students now have the opportunity to stretch their limits beyond what I ever thought could happen.

NOW WHAT?

This gives students a chance to develop their listening skills. Often times students have a difficult time when they reach high school and college years because they do not have the training to listen to a lecture and know what to take down as notes. Listening to podcasts and recording information is a great way to prepare students for education in the future. What a great idea!

To check out the link where I found this teaching lesson, click here.

To find even more lesson plans that integrate technology, click here.

Reflection 11

WHAT?

Technology should be integrated into the classroom, rather than be used as a separate portion of teaching. The whole point of technology is to get students engaged in the content of what you are teaching, rather than having the technology be content itself.

SO WHAT?

So to find more tools in which to integrate technology, I took a look at some lesson plans that teachers made that include technology. Who said we had to learn on our own right? Internet research can be so helpful to the new teacher! While I was researching, I found a technology lesson called Creating a Multimedia Journey. Students take a journey through sound, exploring the sounds of the places they visit. They then research some of the places they visit and write a fictional account of their journey. All of this is done through a website called Sound Transmit. Check it out!

NOW WHAT?

This way, students are learning about geographical places, while integrating technology that makes the content exciting. Students will find themselves wanting to learn more when they see that learning can be so fun. Get creative with your ideas in teaching and be sure to integrate technology.

Reflection 10

WHAT?

I went to the website called Education World and looked up the Tech Lesson of the Week. The assignment is for students to research a historical figure and create a chat bot representing that figure. A chat bot is a simple web-based program that allows users to type in questions and get replies. So students are to test and check their knowledge of Abraham Lincoln by chatting with an AI (artificial intelligence) “chat bot." They then research another historical figure and use the information they discover to create their own chat bots.

SO WHAT?

What an interesting way for students to get an upclose and “personal” experience with the historical figure. I know for me as a student, history was always difficult for me. Everything seemed so far in the past, that it was hard for me to grasp any idea of history. This chat bot gives students an idea of what it would have been like to talk with Ab Lincoln and other historical figures.

NOW WHAT?

However, not only does it give the students a tangible way to understand the historical figures that seem so far off, it also requires the students to fully grasp the character of their own researched historical figure. The student must know enough about the figure’s character to create a chat bot from scratch. This seemed like a great tool to use during a history unit to get children excited about the past, while still looking toward the future.

Reflection 9

WHAT?

My roommate is graduating this year; she has been searching tirelessly for jobs and has had countless numbers of interviews. It seems that times are changing and technology is advancing in terms of job searching.

SO WHAT?

I noticed that every application she filled out has been online. Even her resume had to be either attached or typed in a provided box. It used to be that you went to the actual company to hand in your application and resume. Then, the system became a bit more advanced with the use of email. Some applicants would then attach their resume and application to an email for speedy processing.

NOW WHAT?

Now, application processes are highly advanced. You must be able to have access to a computer (which doesn’t seem too hard these days anymore…just hit up the local library). I love that you do not even have to go to the company to grab a resume. It is right there online at the company’s website for your convenience. I am interested to see what school districts expect for the application process.

Reflection 8

WHAT?

In Professor Mohan’s class, we took a look at the new document camera that is directly connected to the SMART Board. This is different from the document cameras that most classrooms have at Northwest University because the SMART Board document camera and the SMART Board are able to work together, rather than separately, which creates a speedier route for technology.

SO WHAT?

What a tool! I loved this SMART Board document camera. You could freeze images and make them directly into a page in SMART Board Notebook. Professor Mohan was able to screen shot all of the attendance sheets as SMART Board Notebook files. Now, all she had to do each class period was to pull up the attendance and have students sign in. You may be saying, well the first document camera’s we had can do a freeze frame. This is true (although we could never figure out how to actually get the image to freeze), but the feature that it lacks is saving the freeze frame to a file.

NOW WHAT?

The opportunities seem almost endless with this new SMART Board document camera. My point here today is to learn new technology as it is introduced to the classroom. Do not just sit back and say, “Well, I already have a document camera, so I don’t need to use this one.” Instead, take advantage of the new technologies that are offered to you. The SMART Board document camera was a perfect example of the reasons as to why we, as teachers, should utilize new systems of technology. We can’t get behind the times!

Reflection 7

WHAT?

I realized during one of the days in chapel, that almost every chapel speaker uses a PowerPoint. Some PowerPoint presentations have been very helpful to the understanding of the message. Many have helped me to engage in the sermon. However, some speakers rely too much on their PowerPoint presentations. Instead of teaching to the students of Northwest University, they teach to their podium and to their PowerPoint slides.

SO WHAT?

Because of this, students become disengaged to the message that the speaker has to bring. I see this happening in classrooms throughout the world. A lot of times, teachers do a great job of utilizing the technology offered in their classrooms. However, some teachers get so caught up in the technology that they forget to teach to the students.

NOW WHAT?

Remember that technology is a tool for teaching. Technology should not do the teaching. Imagine if the chapel speakers actually spoke instead of relied upon their PowerPoints. If their PowerPoints were used as a tool, rather than a crutch or dependence, how much more would the students be interested in what they have to say?

Comments on Classmates' Blogs

Bethany

Amy

Lauryn

Ashley

Kacie

Some of the blogs said that I posted a comment, but the comment was not showing. Two of the blog entries said that there was 1 comment, but when you clicked on the entry to view the comments, the blog said 0 comments added. In the case that it is not there for some reason... here are my comments:

Bethany P: Reflection 7
        This was a really great blog entry Bethany. Thats a great thing to think about. Its true, we get so excited about technologies, but the point of it loses it's purpose when it is used in overload. I guess that is great news for the teacher too because it is fewer sites that we have to update!

Amy A: Reflection 7
        Friends is my favorite tv series and I know exactly what episode you are talking about! That is so crazy to think that it was only 15 years ago when Chandler used a laptop like that. Wow... times change quickly. It really gets me thinking about the future and what is to come.

Lauryn D: Reflection 9
        Wow Lauryn. This was a really encouraging blog. Often times we think of the internet as either all negative and dangerous or as an academic research tool. While it is those two things, it is also very useful for spiritual growth. What a great reminder. In these ways, we can praise God for technology.

Ashley P: Reflection 7
        So I thought I would jump in on this discussion-like post. I wonder the same thing (real original, I know). I think a possible answer to this question is because of supply vs demand. The demand for the 3rd product would not be as high because schools have no need for it. They have already invested their money in the SMART Board or the ActivBoard. It would be such a waste to get rid of what they already bought to get a 3rd. So the demand would be very small for the 3rd product. Now, if the 3rd guy could figure out a solution before schools had bought the Activ or SMART Boards, then that would have worked...and then I can't answer the question :/ hmm..

Kacie S: Assignment 7
        Wow, what a great blog entry. This is so true, and that video was amazing. Without being able to spread awareness through technology it would be so much more difficult to reach people across the world for Jesus. Praise the Lord for technology!

Why get a Mac?

Some features of the Mac that I personally find to be more useful than a PC are these built in (not having to download) features:

• Recording through Garageband (The upgrade to this program is the most widely sought after recording studio equipment on the market.
• Iphoto let's me do so many neat things that organize my life and make it so simple. Iphoto creates tags on pictures that get put into separate categories for easy find: face of person, location, etc. Each time a new picture is uploaded to the computer, iphoto makes a prediction on the categorizing of the face automatically and is usually correct. And again, this is not something you have to download.
• Reliability-- I have had my computer for several years, and it has never received a virus or encountered death. It even survived a crash of being through across the room. If for some reason it hadn't, Apple provides 24/7 Mac Care for your computer.
• The features of organization are incredible. The layout of the dock on the desktop makes my life so much easier.
• Even down to simple things, my Mac covers me; like putting in a cd or checking email. For the cd, you do not have to push a button and wait for the disc tray to pull out and then wait to push it back in. Instead, the cd slides directly into the computer. No hassle.
• Rather than a File tab, all icons are placed on a dock (not on the desktop), which can be shown with the drag of a mouse. I love the organizational set up of this.
• Not to mention, its light weight! White! and Cute!... and for guys...yes, they have it in black and and other manly colors.
• Since the software on every Mac is created by the same company that makes the Mac itself, you get a completely integrated computer that’s as secure, stable, and powerful as it is elegant and easy to use.

STILL NOT SOLD?

Take a look at what Mac has to say.

A Mac has all the essentials built right in, including automatic protection from PC viruses, the latest wireless technology, advanced Intel chips, and a rock solid operating system that’s loaded with innovations.

Doesn't get PC viruses.

Designed with security in mind, Mac OS X isn’t plagued by constant attacks from PC viruses and malware. Likewise, it won’t slow you down with constant security alerts and sweeps. Every Mac is secure right out of the box, so you can safely go about your work — or play — without interruption.

Instantly wireless.

A Mac makes wireless easy. Networks automatically appear, and you can get on the Internet with a few clicks.

High performance.

With the latest Intel processors and other engineering leaps, a new Mac does all the things that only a Mac can do — at an astonishing speed.

A conversation piece.

Lots of computers come with built-in cameras these days. But only a Mac comes with iChat software that lets you have four-way video chats,¹ give presentations, and even share your screen with people all over the world.

Always up to date.

A Mac regularly checks for updates to Mac OS X and any included Apple software and automatically downloads them. So really, a Mac gets better with age.

Born ready.

Unlike other computers that require you to spend hours configuring devices, a Mac connects to your digital camera, wireless device, or external drive and just works. Really.

We’ll give you support.

Every Mac comes with award-winning support, but you can upgrade to the AppleCare Protection Plan for more peace of mind.

Why Mac? 

Educational Blog- Beth's Thoughts

I visted the blog called Beth's Thought on Technology in the Classroom. This is an amazing blog. I had difficulty choosing which blog to comment on because all of her blogposts brought about critical thinking and discussion on various issues within the classroom. I decided to comment on the most recent blogpost called Parental Participation. In the blogpost, Beth asked these questions of the reader: How much do we welcome parents in our classrooms? Do we just want them back up our policies on homework and classroom rules? Do we want them discuss how their children learn or what strategies work best for them? Honestly do you welcome their comments and suggestions?

I learned that involving parents into the educational experience of their children can be difficult because as teachers, we feel that we are placed into a fish bowl where our every move is being watched. However, I also learned from the blogpost that a child's best educator for life is often their parents. This got me thinking, so I decided to join in on the conversation that had been taking place through the comments on the post.

This is a great topic to really think about. It is so important to involve parents in the classroom, even though we may be hestitant or fearful to involve them. There were 2 comments that had already been added to this post, and it was really neat to be a part of this educational discussion. Although I am only a young, barely-experienced teacher, I felt that I had enough wisdom to add to the topic of conversation. I hope to receive thoughtful comments regarding my own comment to keep the discussion going. I was able to address both comments as well as my own thoughts on the content of Beth's blogpost.

I encourage everyone to check out Beth's blog. It is a great way to actively involve yourself in educational discussion, and to increase your thinking on certain topics of teaching.

Assignment 4 RoadMap Podcast!

Listen Up!

Students will create their own storybook through use of the website called TikaTok. This site provides templates to kick-start ideas for students on their book. This is a great way to integrate technology into the classroom. Rather than having the students write up a book on paper, with pencil and crayons, as we all have experienced, children will instead get the chance to develop their ideas in a much more challenging way. It can integrate all units of the curriculum; for example, you can have the students create a book on their favorite animal that was studied in the science unit. Students will have fun researching and getting creative with this assignment.

Then, the students will use Blogger to upload a video on the class blog describing the book that they created. This can include the process it took for the student to create the book, or it can be an explanation of the inspiration of the idea of the book. Students will need access to a video camera and can take time in class to upload the video and edit it before placing it on the class blog site for parents and fellow classmates to see.

Discussion Questions- Educator's Panel

3 Questions for the panel discussion with educators:

1. Do you find it difficult to accommodate technology assignments for those students that have fewer resources at home?
2. Statistics show that people leave the teaching profession after the first 4 years. What is it about you that breaks this statistic? In other words, what is it about your job that keeps you going?
3. How have you noticed technology's impact on the classroom most?

Assignment 3: Resources For Teachers-Delicious

       I have decided to use one of the web 2.0 tools called Delicious for this project to have the luxury of keeping all of my favorite websites in one place and making them accessible to me from any computer, phone, or other device with internet. If you click on the link above, my personal toolbox of websites will open in a separate window. Since there are over 20 websites added to this account, organization was an important thing to think through before beginning.

HOW IT IS ORGANIZED AND HOW I DECIDED WHAT TO ADD

       In a Delicious account, there are tags and bookmarks. A bookmark is the actual website that you would like to save to your toolbox. I wanted to add websites that would be useful to me as a teacher so that I could find reliable websites quickly and easily. I also wanted to add websites on the account that would refer parents and students to safe and secure websites on educational learning. I tried to keep the names of my bookmarks simple, while still being able to identify which website it is. Within each bookmark, Delicious allows for notes to help you remember exactly what it is that you liked about that website. I created notes that would quickly remind me of what each website had to offer. This includes which audience the website is directed to, whether that be students of the elementary grade-level, students of the secondary grade-level, parents, or teachers. I included small phrases to give me a brief overview of what the site can do for me; how it can meet my needs as a teacher, and how it can meet the needs for my students and their parents. The second organization tool that a Delicious account offers is the tag feature. A tag creates categories that bookmarks can fall under, which allows you to quickly locate bookmarks by clicking on the specific category you want. Just like how on this blog site, each blog post has a tag, and each tag is listed at the bottom of the site for easy access to a specific blog post. I created tags on my Delicious account that best fit the subjects of my bookmarks; however, I did not want to create too many tags because I felt that if too many tags were created, then the tag would essentially be pointless. It would be like if everyone at Disneyland got a fastpast to go on the rides. The fastpast line would be just as long as the old regular lines. Thinking ahead, I decided to create specific categories that would easily guide me to the bookmarks I was looking for, as well as tags that could easily assist those in my network. My tags include Lessons, Worksheets, Activities, Teachers, Students, Parents, etc. Some bookmarks even fall under more than one category. For example the tags, Lessons, Worksheets, and Teachers may all carry the same bookmark. Since even this organization can get confusing, I decided to take it a step further. I organized my bookmarks by most visited and my tags by alphabetical order. I also added the Delicious features to my internet toolbar for quick and easy access to these sites on my home computer. What an easy way to access my favorites!

HOW I WILL USE IT AND HOW I CAN SHARE IT WITH OTHER TEACHERS

      This Delicious account is useful in so many ways. I can really see it making my life a bit easier as a teacher. I have to admit that it took me awhile to warm up to the thought of a toolbox, but it really has proved to be a helpful tool. I can access key websites at the click of a button. These are trusty websites that have a lot to offer. Rather than going around and trying to find all the different websites I like (say from the class blog or other random findings), I am able to find what I am looking for at the best it comes. At first I thought, well isn't Google faster to just type in what you are looking for? I found that there are two answers that oppose that question. The first is that a Delicious account is just as quick to access as Google is; especially if you have added Delicious to your internet toolbar! Delicious can be accessed at the click of a button. Secondly, you are not finding just any site. Google has a lot to offer, but with Delicious, you already have what you are looking for, you just have to locate it under a tag. If you do not have what you are looking for saved under your bookmarks, then other Delicious account holders will. The key is these websites are saved as favorites, not just a top pick from Google. These websites have been sought out, saved, and worth keeping! The thing I love most about Delicious is that it saves all your favorites and can be accessed at any location. It is much like a security blanket for teachers. I don't have to try to remember that website I liked way back from Junior year in college in Tech in Ed class. Instead, I can be directed straight to my Delicious account where that website has been saved and tagged for easy finding. I don't have to research the best photo program on the web because I have already researched and bookmarked my top finding. Teaching is busy enough as it is. I'm happy to have made my life a bit easier by storing all my items in one easy accessible place.

WEBSITES I HAVE BOOKMARKED

       These are some sites that I have bookmarked. I encourage you to check these out. These sites made it through "audition one" to be placed on my Delicious account and then "audition two" to be placed individually on this blog, so it will not be a waste of your time! This is the best of the best for me :) While some websites I found are "hole in the wall" websites (meaning they are not so popular, but very helpful), I also have websites that are widely used. Any helpful website, whether big or small has been bookmarked on my Delicious account.

1. TeacherTube: This free website is used just as YouTube is; however, it is teacher oriented. It is a safe venue for teachers to search and share educational videos with their classroom. Students need technology to stimulate their minds, and TeacherTube is a great and helpful resource to find videos to get students engaged in learning. All videos have been uploaded to TeacherTube by teachers. This website is tagged under Teachers and Technology in my Delicious account.
2. Pics4Learning: This is a tab on the Tech4Learning website. Pics4Learning is a copy-right friendly image library for teachers and students. The collection consists of thousands of images that have been donated by students, teachers, and photographers. All images are free to access and would be of great use in the classroom! Children love images because it helps them to visually grasp a concept. This would be helpful because it is a quick way to find any image that you are looking for. Just as Delicious is organized with tags, so is Pics4Learning. This website is tagged under Teachers, Students, and Images in my Delicious account.
3. Instructional Technology Department-Wichita Public Schools: This website was found under SMART Board activities on week 3 of our class blog. I have already used this site for so many school projects and lessons. It has been a tremendous help to me because it offers pre-made lessons on the SMART Board that were created with the SMART Notebook Software. These lesson plans make life as a teacher go by so much more quickly because you do not have to spend hours creating your own lesson on the SMART Notebook Software. The capability of these lessons is absolutely incredible. I will be using this often. It is also a very organized website. I have been able to find everything I need so quickly. There are separate links to Elementary, Middle School, High School, Music, Foreign Language, and more to access lesson plans. Within each of these categories, are the subjects. Each lesson under the subjects is placed in alphabetical order, with added information of the grade-level span. Check this site out! This website is tagged under Teachers, Technology, and Lessons in my Delicious account.

Video in the Classroom

I read a blog entry called "Caught on Video" by Bob Sparkle, and let me tell you... what an amazing blog post! It was packed with ideas on how video could be used in the classroom. I never thought of video being useful in the classroom, but what an incredible idea! Why did I not think of that myself? Here are some ideas that I took and grappled with for awhile. I added my own little spin on a few of them!

• You could create a video of instruction to give to a substitute teacher; rather than a boring typed up (possibly confusing) lesson plan. Instruction is communicated more clearly when a person can see and hear it from the teacher.
• Weekly newsvideos (aka newsletters) can be recorded and posted to the class website or class blog. I loved this idea from Bob Sparkle's blog. Adding to it, I think that it would be brilliant to have the children present the information on the video. The teacher could give each student a sentence to say about upcoming events or important news. What a much more effective and exciting way to get parents involved with what is going on in the classroom and at school!
• Also, what a great idea to film short video clips of how each child feels on the first day of school. This could be compiled into a video and placed into the class portfolio online for parents to view. It also could help students with growth in their struggles by viewing this video at the end of the year.
• Another great way to communicate with parents through video is to send snip-its of the day in an email to parents. Its quick and simple, and the parents would absolutely love it!
• Videos can be used to inform absent students of what they missed that day during school. Important lesson highlights can be filmed and placed on the class website, class blog, or sent through email
• This was my favorite idea! Create an end of the year video featuring the students. what they learned during the year, and what they enjoyed most of the year. It would serve as a video time capsule. This could be viewed on the last day of school during the party. What a great memory to have. Many CDs could be burned for each student to take home a copy with them.
• Finally, have the students record classroom rules and routines for students coming into your classroom next year. It is a quick and exciting way for students to learn your ways of the classroom through their peers.

I will definitely be using video in my classroom. It is something that I had never thought of before, but now I am so inspired to make it useful.

Promethean ActivBoard

Today I took a look at PrometheanWorld to become more familiar with the Promethean ActivBoard. Because I only had the opportunity to view pictures and read information on the Promethean ActivBoard, I could not distinguish too much of a difference from the SMARTBoard. It is still a durable screen that can be poked, touch, or leaned on without damaging the board, while allowing access to computer projection to the class. The Promethean ActivBoard "enables anything that can be seen or done on a computer screen to be projected onto an interactive whiteboard – bringing every classroom to life." One feature that stood out to me, different from the SMARTBoard was the add on feature of the ActivWand! This is a pen just like the others, but has a twenty inch extension that could be very useful for small students to reach the top of the board. I also noticed that the Promethean ActivBoard did not offer different colored pens as the SMARTBoard offers. I am assuming that the Promethean ActivBoard allows for the switching of pen color through a click of the screen, rather than the simple picking up of another pen. Until having actually used a Promethean ActivBoard, I do not think that I could make proper judgment on preference over the SMARTBoard or not. However, the Promethean World website supplied a great deal of information on the Promeathan ActivBoard to enable me to become a bit more familiar with other solutions of interactive whiteboards.

Classmate Comments

Sarah Womack

Ashley Peavey

Shayna Prause

DeAnna Ankrum

McKenzie M.

Reflection 6

WHAT?                                                                                                                        
There are many online resources that I have found, through the Technology in Education Class Blog that are very useful in finding lesson plans on the SMART Board. This website in particular, the Wichita Public Schools website, offers many lessons for teachers in SMART Notebook form in all subjects and all grades that are compatible for the SMART Board.
SO WHAT?                                                                                                                   
I have found that it is sometimes best to use pre-made lesson plans for the SMART Board, rather than taking time to a create mediocre lesson using the SMART Notebook software. Teaching is all about taking advantage of the resources that will advance the students. The lessons that most students used in their SMART Board presentations were taken from pre-made lessons from online websites, such as the Wichita Public School site.
NOW WHAT?                                                                                                               
I am realizing that it is important to be mindful of the resources out there on the web. They can spark ideas for teaching and simply the teaching process, especially during the first years of teaching. I am so thankful for those who have taken the time to create lesson plans that will be beneficial to the students.

Reflection 5

WHAT?                                                                                                                          
I read an article awhile back that talked about this generation of students being the loneliest generation. This is caused by technology because rather than students having face-to-face interactions with people, all of their communication takes place through technology. Instead of having a friendly conversation in person, students' social network is being stricken to text messaging, emailing, and online chatting.
SO WHAT?                                                                                                                   
Thinking of this in terms of being a teacher, I realized that technology in the classroom can take the same effect. Sometimes technology can get in the way of connecting with students on a relational learning level. Instead of getting to know students by figuring out where their struggles are and why they are having struggles, teachers rely on and hide behind quick multiple choice polls to assess students. Sometimes technology allows for no understanding of the students. It sometimes can allow for no explanation of the students progress or retrogress. Sometimes technology robs students of learning proper social skills that might be needed for instances like in an interview.
NOW WHAT?                                                                                                                 
Teachers must make extra effort to use technology in a way that will grow students. Teachers must not allow technology to cut off relationship with the students, for this is what already happens to the them in everyday life. Instead, we can use technology to enhance social skills. For example, students can use technology to give presentations. This will allow students to use technology, while communicating with their voice, rather than with their fingers (aka typing).

Reflection 4

WHAT?                                                                                                                       
Sometimes teachers get so caught up in the fun experience of the SMART Board that they forget to let students have interaction with it. I observed a third grade classroom where the teacher had a very exciting lesson on the SMART Board. She was so into the lesson; however, as I looked at the students in her classroom, I noticed that they were very disengaged. Even while using this fun technology of the SMART Board, students were still uninterested in learning.
SO WHAT?                                                                                                                 
The SMART Board cannot be used as an easy substitute for getting students engaged in learning. Even with the use of technology, it is still the teacher's responsibility to connect the students with the material in the lesson. The teacher should have involved her students with hands-on learning through the SMART Board rather than using the SMART Board as a presentation.
NOW WHAT?                                                                                                             
We, as teachers, constantly need to be mindful of our students and how they best learn. Sometimes we rely on technology to do the teaching for us. It is still our job to get students up out of their seats to engage in active learning through the SMART Board. The interactive boards are not just for us, as teachers, but it is more so for the students' benefit of learning in this new age.

Reflection 3

WHAT?

I have noticed many professors at Northwest that do not know how to maneuver the SMART Board and other new technologies such as the document camera. The digital divide between the professors and students truly does affect the learning environment. Professors will spend the first portion of class just trying to figure out how to get the technology working. It will take them several tries to get the PowerPoint displayed on the SMART Board projector.
SO WHAT?                                                                                                                    
Because of the lack of fluency that professors have in new technologies, students become disconnected from the content and material of the lesson. Some students even lose the respect of professors, which results in professors losing control of their classroom.
NOW WHAT?                                                                                                                
Obviously, there is no way to keep up on all of the new technology, but a teacher should at least familiarize himself or herself enough with the technology to keep the flow of the classroom. Technology should not distract from learning, rather it should inspire and enhance learning. It is okay for a teacher to ask students' for help every once in awhile; however, it is important for teachers to do their very best to keep up with the technology times of their students. This is why I am so grateful for this class - Technology in Education.

Reflection 2

WHAT?

The SMART Response that is connected to the SMART Board is a way to assess students quickly. They can take a multiple choice test displayed on the SMART Board screen using the Response keypads. This makes for easy assessment because the students' answers are immediately submitted into a poll that can be organized into a graph. This way, teachers can decide on the spot whether or not the students' are understanding the curriculum topic to know if it needs to be retaught. The SMART Response can also be used to take attendance in the classroom by having the students sign in.

SO WHAT?

This can be a very useful tool for teachers in the classroom, specifically for the two reasons that I mentioned above. I learned in class that you have to activate the students' key pads by clicking "Start Assessment" from the pull down tab. It was nice to play around with the SMART Response in class during the day of our presentations because we were able to work out all of the glitches in trying to figure out how to use this feature.

NOW WHAT?

I would love to become fluent with this feature of the SMART Board because it is a great way to assess students quickly and efficiently in the classroom. I was very happy to learn about SMART Response. I had no idea that anything like this even existed. I was shocked when it was first mentioned in class. It's almost like texting in answers to a test! Times have really changed, but if a teacher can learn how to maneuver this technology, then it can be a very helpful tool for classroom management!

School Website- Fryelands Elementary School

I looked up the Fryelands Elementary School website because that is one of my top preferences for student teaching.

Features I like:

•  The border at the top of the web page is pictures of the students learning and at play in school. It creates a welcoming and inviting feel to the web page and offers a pleasant mood to viewers.
• At the top of the page it reads, "Monroe Public Schools...Learning for Life." I like the font that the motto is typed in because it looks creative, yet still professional.
• The website is offered in Spanish.
• The tabs and links on the web page are well organized, readable, and easily accessible.
• When you scroll your mouse over a link, subcategories for that link open up in a list form.
• There are links and tabs to event calendars, staff, school vision, contact information, new news, parents, class locations, sports, and much more.
• There is a search bar in the upper left-hand corner of the page.
• The address of the school, phone number, and fax number are centered at the bottom of the web page.

What's Confusing?

•  I found nothing on this site to be confusing for myself. Everything was very well organized and mapped out. The page is very simple, which makes it easy to navigate around, and if something were to be difficult to find, there is a search bar at the top of the website.
• One thing that may be confusing to others is that this website is a place for all Monroe public schools. Therefore, every school in the Monroe district will have a page that looks identical to another. In order to ensure that you are viewing the correct school, you must pay close attention to the title page. The border and header is the same for every web page in the Monroe public school district.

What's Missing?

• I honestly tried to find something that was missing, but I found everything that I would need to look for. I encourage you to go to the site to try to find something that you think is missing from the site. This school web page offers a multitude of information for all audiences.

Reflection 1

WHAT?

A feature of technology that is being used in classrooms today is the document camera. The document camera is hooked up to the computer and serves as a newer version of the overhead projector. Yet, instead of having to transfer all paper documents to a clear overhead projector sheet, you are simply able to use the original paper document. The document will be projected on the screen, and the camera allows for different levels of zoom and focus. Another feature of the document camera is the "freeze" button. This allows you to freeze frame the document that you have placed on the camera, so that when you remove the piece of paper or book from the camera, the image will still be visible on the screen.
SO WHAT?                                                                                                                    
I have seen my professors use it many times, and it is very convenient for teaching, especially for the primary grades! I used the document camera in Instructional Design to show a page of a children's book. This is a fantastic way to read books to children because the book can be enlarged on a screen for them to view. I also saw this document camera used in my Math Methods class by Professor Daley. It was very useful for modeling a math problem because it showed the step-by-step process on a large screen with readable pen. This document camera can be a very helpful tool in the classroom. Not only is it convenient for the teacher (way more convenient than using an overhead projector), but it is also exciting for the students to see the read-aloud book projected up on a large screen in front of them. Technology fascinates students, so we as teachers must get in touch with the newest and best forms of technology.
NOW WHAT?                                                                                                               
Try out the document camera. It takes some time of playing around with it to figure out how it works, but I can guarantee that once you try out the document camera, you will love the convenience of it. The document camera is used in many school classrooms now, so to get your hands on one for practice, scope out your nearest classroom to familiarize yourself with it.

Assignment 2 Follow-Up

From the presentations, I learned the importance of being familiar with the operations of the interactive board. If you do not know how to use the boards fluently, then they can easily get in the way of teaching. However, I learned that if a teacher can learn to maneuver the interactive board, it is a wonderful tool to use in the classroom to stimulate minds and to inspire thinking. I especially liked the feature of the board where you can turn hand-writing into font. This is really neat because students can come up to the board and write, but then it can be neatly organized into text. Several students used this feature and it was very helpful! I also like the interactive games from the created SMART Board lessons. The games will certainly help with students' understanding of the topic while having fun at the same time. The drag and drop feature on the SMART Board is actually pretty simple. There is so much to learn about the interactive boards. The list seems endless; however what I learned was very helpful, and I am excited to incorporate these new features of the SMART Board into my lesson plans.

Assignment 2: SMART Board Presentation

     To find the lesson from my presentation, go to the Instructional Technology Website and scroll down to the math section. Click on the lesson that says "Candy Graphs" and the SMART Board lesson will open with the SMART Notebook feature.

     During my presentation, I will use these two features: (Both of these features can be placed in the side toolbar for quick and easy access).

• Page recording: This can be useful for students that are working at a slower pace. The lesson can be played back for them at any time. You can also save the recorded markings from your lesson as a video. This is helpful because it can be sent home with parents or posted on a classroom blog for extra help.
• Highlighter: This allows you to highlight words or pictures on the screen. You can change both the color and the thickness of the highlighter.

NETS for Students:

• Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
• Students create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
• Students may record their work on the SMART Board, say from a math lesson on long division. They can they save it as a video to publish to their blog as an original piece of work.
• Students apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
• Students can apply their knowledge of math to create graphs using the SMART Board and record and highlight their efforts.
• Students can use their thinking to highlight main ideas in a paragraph on the SMART Board. This enables other students to recognize the main points more quickly and clearly, and it also involves student interaction.

NETS for Teachers:

• Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments: Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporationg contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS-S.
• Teachers customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.
• Many students may not learn best in whole class or group interaction. Thus, the playback method allows for teachers to meet the needs of students with different learning styles.
• The highlighter tool helps students to see exactly what the teacher is wanting to emphasize in the lesson activity on the SMART Board.
• Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
• The digital tool of page recording allows teachers to involve the students in creative invention through video playbacks of their own work.

     The interactive white board can improve student learning in my future classroom by giving slower-paced students a chance to understand ideas and concepts through a step-by-step recording of the lesson. I most noticed the importance of this feature while giving a Monart lesson in the Visual Arts Methods class. The page recording really helped for students that could not keep up with the pace of the picture I was demonstrating. It was also very helpful for students that were absent. A recording of the lesson on the interactive board can be saved and emailed to (or posted on a classroom blog) parents and the absent student in order to engage in understanding of the missed content.

Cool Cat Teacher Blog- Reviving the Dream

THE WHAT

I read a very encouraging and inspiring blog from the Cool Cat Teacher Blog entitled "Reviving the Dream." It was written on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 on a Bible passage that encourages teachers to keep their dreams alive. Too often we let a peace of lethargy invade our lives, and we fall dead to our dreams due to a lazy mind that has fallen asleep. The verse mentioned in the blog is taken from the book of Revelation, and it states this: "Sardis was a city of peace, not the peace won through battle, but the peace of a man whose dreams are dead and whose mind is asleep, the peace of lethargy and evasion." What would happen if we woke up and went after our dreams. Here is an example from the author of the blog entry of a dream of her own: "A dream was born -- in my own heart I realized that my goal would be to build one of the best technology programs in the world.  Oh, that sounds ostentatious, but it was something I'd say even in assemblies and to my students. At first, I'd get several snickers -- and then less.  Now, finally, the students know - we do have one of the best.  And now the dream is for more."

THE SO WHAT

Langston Hughes, an American poet once said,
    "Hold fast to dreams
     For if dreams die
     Life is a broken-winged bird
     That cannot fly.

     Hold fast to dreams
     For when dreams go
     Life is a barren field
     Frozen with snow."
This is so true for the students that look up to us in our classrooms. If our dreams for our students die, then our teaching becomes dull. From dull teaching stems lack of inspiration in our students, and from lack of inspiration in our students stems the lack of their success. It is important that we, as teachers, dream big for our students, especially for the underprivileged students who do not know what it means to be given a chance. Also, dream big for not only your students, but also for yourself. There is a vase sitting on the stand next to my couch that says, "The higher our hopes the brighter our days." Take that into consideration.

THE NOW WHAT

Dream big. Do not say to yourself, "Well I'm stuck here so I might as well make the best of it." Instead, seek out goals and be excited to find a way to reach them. The Cool Cat Teacher Blog provides links to many blog entries of technology ideas that would be useful for teachers on the left hand column of the site. As you read earlier, the author had a dream to create one of the best technology programs in the world and succeeded at it. I would say that this a trustworthy site to get ideas for your classroom. It provides 122 apps and software for you. So take a little bit of time to familiarize yourself, as I did, with the suggestions for teaching with the use of technology found in the many different blog entries on this site.

Generation IM

       In the article Generation IM from Scholastic: Instructor, my eyes were opened even more facts about the impact of this digital age on children. The article states that "67% of preschool children use computers." Although I still sit in wonderment at comments like this, I must come to grips with the truth of this statement in order to be a successful teacher. It goes to show that early elementary students are in need of technology for stimulation, not just the upper grade-level students.

       My favorite quote from the article is this: "We need kids to think about problems in innovative and creative ways. We need to change the emphasis of education to focus on higher-order kinds of thinking." These higher-order kinds of thinking come through the use of technology. That is the new form of connection and communication in today's world. We need to take advantage of the available technology to prepare our students for the world they are going to face.

       I also liked the seven suggestions that the article provided to bring today's technology into the classroom. It did not just list the seven suggestions, but it also provided a detailed description, followed by examples to further explain how technology could best be put to use.

Beginning of Semester Reflection

     Technology has become a huge part of our everyday lives. It seems that children are born with a cellphone or Wii attached to their hand. This is why it is very important for teachers to conduct the use of technology in their classrooms. Without technology today, students begin to shut off their brains because they either feel that the subject has no relevance to everyday life or because they are learning in ways that are unnatural to them. Teachers mush incorporate technology in the classroom through direct instruction, discovery learning, and more. It is the role of the teacher to inspire students to think outside of the box. There are many ways that technology can serve students in K-12 classrooms. There are options of computers, interactive boards, and response systems. It is a new way of thinking and a new way of teaching that I must learn how to do successfully.

Assignment 1: Technology Literacy

                                              SUMMARY                                             

From the Education Research Complete database found at Hurst Library, the article Using Technology to Supprt Learning in a First Grade Animal and Habitat Project by Keith Wetzel and Teresa Foulger describes the uses of technology conducted through a study by three teacher educators, a first grade teacher (Ms. Rathkey), and her students in each phase of a project on animals and their habitats. The study was divided into three parts, just as the phases of project-based learning are divided: Planing and beginning the project, investigating, and concluding the project in a culminating event. Because children are so exposed to media and technology for many hours at such a young age, universities got together to study whether students growing up in a technology rich environment could also use digital technologies in a first grade classroom. They found it to be true that they could in ways that require active student participation, foster meaningful learning, and produce projects easily shared with parents. The article focuses on the multiple ways that this experienced teacher used technology to complete the phases of this project. The author discusses the positives of technology, and the ways in which teachers can be effective through the useful help of technology. They found that through technology, this project enhanced learning for students and facilitated positive communication with parents.

                                         REFLECTION                                         

The teacher did a beautiful job with providing direct instruction for her students, while still letting them explore the technology. For example, she gave instruction to find a specific animal of their liking for the report and to gather information on that animal, yet she allowed the students to explore ways to do that for themselves. Ms. Rathkey gave helpful suggestions on where the students could find information on their animals by creating a web page titled Interactive Learning with pictures that were linked to specific web sites for the students and parents. The students were not limited to finding information from the websites, yet the teacher guided them to information through technology. I also liked the way in which Ms. Rathkey had her students create their final project. It was not done with scissors and paper, it was done through the use of PowerPoint. Now remember, these are only first graders, yet this article proves that technology can be useful even for those at a young age. Ms. Rathkey scheduled time for her students in the lab to create a PowerPoint slide showing the habitat for their individual animals. Students learned a multitude of skills through PowerPoint, one of which was the learned skill of how to use shapes to draw their animal on the PowerPoint slide. What an effective and mind stimulating project for students to participate in.

                                         APPLICATION                                    

This article gave me great insight on how to involve technology in my classroom in relation to projects and activities. It gave me ideas of how to emerge my students in hands-on project-based lessons through technology. It took away any doubt in my mind that first graders can indeed create their own technologically based project.

I also came to a new understanding of how technology can keep a teacher more organized and reduce the amount of time he or she must spend on preparation for showing parents on student progress. Technology allows the teacher to share students' finished products through the simple click of a button. It increases the ease of portability and duplicability. Technology is also a great way to keep organized files and positive communication with parents.

Wetzel, Keith, et al. "Using Technology to Support Learning in a First Grade Animal and Habitat Project." International Journal of Technology in Teaching & Learning 5.1 (2009): 22-36. Education Research Complete. EBSCO. Web. 30 Jan. 2010.

NETS (National Educational Technology Standards)

    For teachers:

• Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments: Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS-S teachers.
• Response: This standard is important to me as a teacher because it is my job to provide many different strategies of learning in order to reach each and every individual student. In math, I must provide different problem-solving approaches that lead to the same solution because what works best for one student, may not work best for another student. The same goes in relationship to presentation through technology in learning. I must customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources. Along with the different tasks given to students, I must provide students with multiple forms of assessment to secure correctness of learning achievement.
• Three ways to work on this standard this semester:
• I will explore the SMART board and learn how to use various forms of interactive lesson plans in order to cover as many learning strategies as possible.
• I will know and understand the SMART response in order to more quickly and more efficiently assess the students in my classroom.
• I will create and customize my own template on the SMART board notebook for classroom lessons, rather than simply downloading pre-made lesson plans.

    For Students:

• Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
• Response: This standard is important for the students because it will benefit them to have the ability to think outside of the box. Education cannot be handed to a student on a platter. Instead, a student must explore and create in order to obtain knowledge. Therefore, it is important for me as the teacher to encourage students to expand their knowledge through creative thinking, and then to incorporate a hands-on plan for them to produce a product of their thinking.
• Two assignments/projects to help students meet this standard:
• Students will create a storybook slideshow on Microsoft Publisher that they will present to the class. It would be fun to read only part of a book to the class (ie: The Very Hungry Caterpillar) and to have them create their own ending to the story. This gets the students to use higher levels of thinking while using technology because they must creatively think of and predict the outcome of the book through technological artistic ability. They will be able to explore Microsoft Publisher and construct their thoughts into a slideshow. This will be an original work of the student's to demonstrate creative thinking, construction of knowledge, and the development of a process and product using technology.
• Students will create an end of the year blog of their very own to display their favorite moments of the year, as well as some of the work they completed during the year that they are proud of. The must have a design layout, along with pictures (from file or clip art) for each blog entry. These will be private blogs, viewable only by parents of students in the class and teachers. This project will assess the students' final progress through the use of technology. It will challenge the students to think outside of the box to construct an original page of their own. This assignment will also demonstrate students' creative thinking, construction of knowledge, and the development of a process and product through the use of technology.
• Three ways to work on this standard this semester:
• I will construct ideas to include in my lesson plans that involve student imagination and effort. I will find a program to use through the SMART board where I can have students create a story book of their own.
• I will pose questions and forecast possibilities for higher levels of thinking in every lesson and activity.
• I will find ways to create original works for both the individual student and groups, such as an online class book project for the Star Student of the Week.