I was amazed at how much information this website contained. I think that is an important asset to teachers because we don't always have resources for our lessons. I really liked the links to all the technological sights and how some of them reference legal guidelines that people must follow when obtaining this software. I think its a great resources for teachers, but school districts a like.
As someone who is studying to become a teacher, I think this is a site that I should keep in mind. It has on-line lesson plans, learning sites for students for disabilities, providers of instructional resources as well as criteria for evaluating different texts as well as technological equipment. For new teachers, this is something that is very helpful because they don't always know what do to or where to go for things.
I really liked the link that explained why 21st century skills are so important. In my Education 350 class we talked about cell phones and text messaging during class. Someone brought up the fact that we should be teaching our kids "technology skills and etiquette." We have so much technology on our hands these days that it is important to learn why we need it and how we should use it. I think that this link would be great for that exact reason.
It is good to know that there is a resource like this out there for teachers. We can always know that this site will have up-to-date information that is beneficial to teachers and their classrooms.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Bloom's Taxonomy and Powerpoint
When reading Bloom's 2nd article on taxonomy, I was amazed to learn that only "95% of the test questions students encounter require them to think only at the lowest possible level...the recall of information." I was amazed! To me, one of the most important aspects of teaching is getting students to think outside of the box. Most of the tests we give students is only enough for them to recall the information, not for them to apply it externally.
Bloom also says that students never attatch themselves to the book and try to understand the characters and their lives. I think that this is very true. If students are not intereseted in a book or what it has to say, they will read enough for them to pass the test and move on to the next thing. I think that if we fuel their imagination, we will see students apply concepts in other portions of their learning and their life.
As I looked through the various level's of Bloom's taxonomy, I realized that many of the test I took were in the application category. It seemed like these were the all too easy questions which stood out most in the book. Many of the other competency levels below Application were all too easy. I a few of these questions would be appropraite in the elementary schools, but if we asked students questions from the knowledge levels, I think we would be surprised to find out how many students would be able to answer them.
As I recall various test I have taken in college, many of the questions were pulled from mutiple cometency categories. I think that is important though because not all people may recognize certain facts or ideas in the book. To have a test based solely on the idea/fact that they missed would be unfair. I can recall many times in a classroom when other students brough up points in a discussion or reading that I didn't even recognize. To test me on this would be unfair because I didn't even see it. So pulling test questions from the various levels would be beneficial!
As far as powerpoint goes, I think it is the best thing that has happened to classrooms since whiteboards. I have found that when teachers use powerpoint in their lectures I tend to pay more attention. I feel like it since they are using this program, the information they are about to present use with must be very important! As a teacher, I think it is a great way to reach out to children of variouos intelligences. The various tools that come with powerpoint are a great assest! When we were learning how to use the diming, I couldn't believe how beneficial it could be in the classroom. There are many instances when children tend to get "stuck" on a topic because it is in front of them. The teacher may have moved on to another topic, but the student is still asking questions about the previous. When diming is used, I believe it show students that they left that topic and now the topic at hand is the most important. Like Mrs. McCulloch said, it is great for students who walk in late. It doesn't allow them to ask another student about a previous topic and interupt the other students learning.
As a student, I think that powerpoint is an amazing tool for the classroom and for projects. I am finding that I don't like it when teachers use the whiteboard to write down notes. I have found that as I get older, the colors don't stand out as much and it is really hard for me to see, especially if I sit in the back fo the classroom. But with powerpoint, it is so large that I can't miss anything that is on it. I also know that those ideas that are on the whiteboard are the most important part of the teacher's lecture, so I should be writing them down. As far as using powerpoint for a project, I think it is great. I always spent too much money and time trying to make sure that my poster looked the prettiest or the coolest. I got lost in the art and neglected the informational aspect. When I use powerpoint, I still like the make it look good, but I find the information to now be the most important aspect. Plus, school computers offer the program, so I can stay at school and work on the assignment.
I think powerpoint has a huge affect on student's learning because it forces them to pay attention to what is going on and what the teacher is saying (well, that is the case for me at least!). As far as improvement of teaching, it forces the teacher to weed out all the extra information and give the students the most important information first. I liked the idea of using powerpoint for Jeopardy! I think that students would be VERY excited by that. If you just do a little bit of research on the internet, you can find almost anything! I think that students would benefit from this because they now aren't just listening to the teacher talk, but also have a visual aide!
Bloom also says that students never attatch themselves to the book and try to understand the characters and their lives. I think that this is very true. If students are not intereseted in a book or what it has to say, they will read enough for them to pass the test and move on to the next thing. I think that if we fuel their imagination, we will see students apply concepts in other portions of their learning and their life.
As I looked through the various level's of Bloom's taxonomy, I realized that many of the test I took were in the application category. It seemed like these were the all too easy questions which stood out most in the book. Many of the other competency levels below Application were all too easy. I a few of these questions would be appropraite in the elementary schools, but if we asked students questions from the knowledge levels, I think we would be surprised to find out how many students would be able to answer them.
As I recall various test I have taken in college, many of the questions were pulled from mutiple cometency categories. I think that is important though because not all people may recognize certain facts or ideas in the book. To have a test based solely on the idea/fact that they missed would be unfair. I can recall many times in a classroom when other students brough up points in a discussion or reading that I didn't even recognize. To test me on this would be unfair because I didn't even see it. So pulling test questions from the various levels would be beneficial!
As far as powerpoint goes, I think it is the best thing that has happened to classrooms since whiteboards. I have found that when teachers use powerpoint in their lectures I tend to pay more attention. I feel like it since they are using this program, the information they are about to present use with must be very important! As a teacher, I think it is a great way to reach out to children of variouos intelligences. The various tools that come with powerpoint are a great assest! When we were learning how to use the diming, I couldn't believe how beneficial it could be in the classroom. There are many instances when children tend to get "stuck" on a topic because it is in front of them. The teacher may have moved on to another topic, but the student is still asking questions about the previous. When diming is used, I believe it show students that they left that topic and now the topic at hand is the most important. Like Mrs. McCulloch said, it is great for students who walk in late. It doesn't allow them to ask another student about a previous topic and interupt the other students learning.
As a student, I think that powerpoint is an amazing tool for the classroom and for projects. I am finding that I don't like it when teachers use the whiteboard to write down notes. I have found that as I get older, the colors don't stand out as much and it is really hard for me to see, especially if I sit in the back fo the classroom. But with powerpoint, it is so large that I can't miss anything that is on it. I also know that those ideas that are on the whiteboard are the most important part of the teacher's lecture, so I should be writing them down. As far as using powerpoint for a project, I think it is great. I always spent too much money and time trying to make sure that my poster looked the prettiest or the coolest. I got lost in the art and neglected the informational aspect. When I use powerpoint, I still like the make it look good, but I find the information to now be the most important aspect. Plus, school computers offer the program, so I can stay at school and work on the assignment.
I think powerpoint has a huge affect on student's learning because it forces them to pay attention to what is going on and what the teacher is saying (well, that is the case for me at least!). As far as improvement of teaching, it forces the teacher to weed out all the extra information and give the students the most important information first. I liked the idea of using powerpoint for Jeopardy! I think that students would be VERY excited by that. If you just do a little bit of research on the internet, you can find almost anything! I think that students would benefit from this because they now aren't just listening to the teacher talk, but also have a visual aide!
Friday, February 16, 2007
Teaching for Understanding
I believe that one of the most important things in a classroom today is access to a computer. There are so many amazing resources that computers can offer to students. Many websites offer help to children whether it be with math, science or any other subject. If you walk into a electronic store today like Frys, CompUSA or BestBuy there are so many educational games that children can play, to further their understanding of a subject.
Students often pretend that they understand something, just so they don't have to ask for help. Many students are embarrassed if they don't understand and they don't want to be ridiculed by their classmates if they ask a question. So instead, they pretend they know, somehow pass their tests and then move on. I think that is part of the reason that we need the High School Exit Exam in California. We need to make sure that students understand the basics of education before we set them out into the real world.
I myself have used educational programs in hopes that it will help me to better understand something. I have played games that require me to use math skills to solve problems in order to advance in the game. Once I reach the end, the game gives me a reading of how well I have done. It showes me where I need to practice and offers me a chance to play again and practice what I need help with. Like the article says, I think that these resources are an important part of learning. If children can work on something without people in their class making fun of them. Then these kids should have access to it. If it means taking time out of class to let them use the computer to work on a math game, then we as teacher, need to allow that to happen!
Students often pretend that they understand something, just so they don't have to ask for help. Many students are embarrassed if they don't understand and they don't want to be ridiculed by their classmates if they ask a question. So instead, they pretend they know, somehow pass their tests and then move on. I think that is part of the reason that we need the High School Exit Exam in California. We need to make sure that students understand the basics of education before we set them out into the real world.
I myself have used educational programs in hopes that it will help me to better understand something. I have played games that require me to use math skills to solve problems in order to advance in the game. Once I reach the end, the game gives me a reading of how well I have done. It showes me where I need to practice and offers me a chance to play again and practice what I need help with. Like the article says, I think that these resources are an important part of learning. If children can work on something without people in their class making fun of them. Then these kids should have access to it. If it means taking time out of class to let them use the computer to work on a math game, then we as teacher, need to allow that to happen!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Mapping Student Minds
I really enjoyed this article because it showed how students benefits from different types of learning. I know that as a student, I am a hands-on kind of person. If someone is giving me directions for something, I have to be doing it at the same time. I need to be have the materials infront of me, so that I can practice things myself. I also need some sort of direction. I am one of those students who needs the items in front of them, but then also for the teacher to go over the assignment. I have found myself lost many times because teachers just let students go off and explore for themselves.
Back to the article! I think that its awesome for the students to be able to go out and collect the data and then go back to a computer and input it. I think that each student should be responsible for collecting their own data and then going back to a computer and inputing it. I realized that the teacher is trying to save time by having a "data master." But, I believe that if children are going to be comfortable with computers and the programs that they have access to, each student should have the chance to input their own data. Maybe the teacher could input the data into a "Master Spreadsheet" that the students can refer to. I also liked the program they used because it reminded me of Inspiration. The benefit of it is amazing because you can see students piece together the puzzle, as they create this web of information. I also liked how in Inspiration it would also give you a outline format, so that if you needed to write a paper or do a different assignment, a outline would already be avaliable.
I think that when the teacher incorporates Powerpoint into the assignment the outline/map will be benficial for the students. I believe it will help them to organzie the information they have, without much chaos. It is amazing to me what programs are avaliable for classroom teacher to incorporate into their cirriculum. I think it is a tool that is beneficial to teachers. but students as well.
Back to the article! I think that its awesome for the students to be able to go out and collect the data and then go back to a computer and input it. I think that each student should be responsible for collecting their own data and then going back to a computer and inputing it. I realized that the teacher is trying to save time by having a "data master." But, I believe that if children are going to be comfortable with computers and the programs that they have access to, each student should have the chance to input their own data. Maybe the teacher could input the data into a "Master Spreadsheet" that the students can refer to. I also liked the program they used because it reminded me of Inspiration. The benefit of it is amazing because you can see students piece together the puzzle, as they create this web of information. I also liked how in Inspiration it would also give you a outline format, so that if you needed to write a paper or do a different assignment, a outline would already be avaliable.
I think that when the teacher incorporates Powerpoint into the assignment the outline/map will be benficial for the students. I believe it will help them to organzie the information they have, without much chaos. It is amazing to me what programs are avaliable for classroom teacher to incorporate into their cirriculum. I think it is a tool that is beneficial to teachers. but students as well.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Oh, the Changes We've Seen!
On page 5 (page 16 of the actual article) , Maureen Brown Yoder talks about one of the irst computerized simulations, The Oregon Trail. As a kid, I absolutley loved playing this game. Whenever my class went to the compute lab, it was the first thing I played. I liked the idea that I was in control of the characters. But what I didn't know was that it was teaching me that I had be monitor several different things at one and that I had to make decisions that would affect the outcome of the game. Would I forge the river, or would I pay for the ferry? How much food would we eat? did I have to ration the food or could we eat a big meal? These are some of the decisions I was faced with when playing the game. I also had to learn to watch when people got sick. I a sickness was unattended for too long, characters would die. So I learned to watchout when characters got sick and when they did, I had to make sure they received the right medicine.
On page 4 (page 9 of the actual article), Yoder talks about the use of word processors. As a student, being able to use the computer to write a report was a gift sent from God. When writing a report by hand, things soemtimes got messy. If I had to erase something, there would be smudges from the pencil. It would make my report look less professional. But once I was allowed to use a computer, there was never any fear of that. The biggest thing I had to worry about was letting the ink dry! The use of powerpoint was also a great tool. I am a very isual learner, so I like to see things typed out on a screen and nopt just hear a teacher say it. It was also a great tool for students to use when doing a project. There was no extra cost for it because they schools provided the program on their computer. Teachers made sure to emphasize that there would be no extra points awarded because of fancy fonts or backgrounds. They made it clear that content was most important.
I even had a technological experience with my Earth Science class I took at Palomar College a year ago. The class was learning about sediments, wind patterns and ocean currents. Our professor gave us a program that sent us on an expedition to Antartica to study sediments and what they revealed about the past. It was a lot of fun because of the interactive program. I actually remember what we leanred about because I was actually having fun!
Reading the article "The Integrated Technology Classroom: An Experiment in Restructuring Elementary School Instruction," I realized how beneficial computers were in a classroom setting, or at least as a part of the educational process. Having students do math problems on the board is not fun for them. More often than not, students are so afraid to make a mistake and be laughed at for it. This stresses the child out and makes learning not so fun. When using a program that helps children to practice the math they are learning, there is more positive feedback. If they get the problem wrong, the computer tells them so and allows the child to try again and again until they get it right. There is no ridicule from other students, so the student can feel comfortable. I believe that allowing students more opportunities like this, with different subjects, students will be more educated and feel more comfortable!
On page 4 (page 9 of the actual article), Yoder talks about the use of word processors. As a student, being able to use the computer to write a report was a gift sent from God. When writing a report by hand, things soemtimes got messy. If I had to erase something, there would be smudges from the pencil. It would make my report look less professional. But once I was allowed to use a computer, there was never any fear of that. The biggest thing I had to worry about was letting the ink dry! The use of powerpoint was also a great tool. I am a very isual learner, so I like to see things typed out on a screen and nopt just hear a teacher say it. It was also a great tool for students to use when doing a project. There was no extra cost for it because they schools provided the program on their computer. Teachers made sure to emphasize that there would be no extra points awarded because of fancy fonts or backgrounds. They made it clear that content was most important.
I even had a technological experience with my Earth Science class I took at Palomar College a year ago. The class was learning about sediments, wind patterns and ocean currents. Our professor gave us a program that sent us on an expedition to Antartica to study sediments and what they revealed about the past. It was a lot of fun because of the interactive program. I actually remember what we leanred about because I was actually having fun!
Reading the article "The Integrated Technology Classroom: An Experiment in Restructuring Elementary School Instruction," I realized how beneficial computers were in a classroom setting, or at least as a part of the educational process. Having students do math problems on the board is not fun for them. More often than not, students are so afraid to make a mistake and be laughed at for it. This stresses the child out and makes learning not so fun. When using a program that helps children to practice the math they are learning, there is more positive feedback. If they get the problem wrong, the computer tells them so and allows the child to try again and again until they get it right. There is no ridicule from other students, so the student can feel comfortable. I believe that allowing students more opportunities like this, with different subjects, students will be more educated and feel more comfortable!
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