One-to-one Tsunami
By: Pamela Livingston
from Technology and Learning
It talked about making laptops and computers one-to-one in each school for each student. There have been major waves of more and more schools committing to this every year. It helps in cutting time that would normally be spent gathering and organizing data, but the computers can do the same thing in much less time. There needs to be high-quality security standards so that no students are accessing Internet websites that are not appropriate or that are off-limits. I don't know how great the need is for one-to-one computers. I still think it is a luxury rather than a necessity.
Blogs are not the Enemy
By: Jeff Utecht
from Technology and Learning
This article talks about the benefits of blogging in the classroom and how it is different from simply writing a journal out on paper. As long as teachers bring back what is being said in the blogs into the classroom, then they are enhancing learning and a deeper understanding of others around us and how they live and think. The difference between blogging and writing in a journal is that other students are allowed to comment on their peers' writings. This causes more interaction to take place and emotional involvement in order to make deeper connections.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Website Reflections
Joan Steinkuhler
I liked how on all of her web pages, she labeled each button specifically as to what that button would lead to. She had good backgrounds and design schemes. I thought it was a good idea to include her management plan and her philosophy so that everyone will know what she will be like in the classroom.
Kiley Olds
I like the background on the home page, but it makes the words kind of difficult to discern since they use some of the same colors and it blends together at some points. Same thing with the second page, the background is cool yet it makes it hard to read the words at times.
Roger Hays
I liked how easy it was to maneuver around the website and everything was simple to find and read. The alphabet book may have a little too much information for smaller students to remember or to know.
Kayla Juenemann
Her website was extremely organized and was separated into specific categories. This made it easy to find anything that you needed. Good backgrounds and schemes.
Kerrie Olson
Nice scrapbooking pages and cute designs. They all tie together well. I would like if the links were more clearly organized and specified on the buttons as to which websites they will offer or get you to.
Nikki Moody
Good design scheme throughout the pages of the website. I liked the quote on the home page and the title of the page at the top. Nice graphics on the frames also.
I liked how on all of her web pages, she labeled each button specifically as to what that button would lead to. She had good backgrounds and design schemes. I thought it was a good idea to include her management plan and her philosophy so that everyone will know what she will be like in the classroom.
Kiley Olds
I like the background on the home page, but it makes the words kind of difficult to discern since they use some of the same colors and it blends together at some points. Same thing with the second page, the background is cool yet it makes it hard to read the words at times.
Roger Hays
I liked how easy it was to maneuver around the website and everything was simple to find and read. The alphabet book may have a little too much information for smaller students to remember or to know.
Kayla Juenemann
Her website was extremely organized and was separated into specific categories. This made it easy to find anything that you needed. Good backgrounds and schemes.
Kerrie Olson
Nice scrapbooking pages and cute designs. They all tie together well. I would like if the links were more clearly organized and specified on the buttons as to which websites they will offer or get you to.
Nikki Moody
Good design scheme throughout the pages of the website. I liked the quote on the home page and the title of the page at the top. Nice graphics on the frames also.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
More Reflections
Video helps overhaul district's curriculum
By: Laura DeVaney, eSchool News
Baltimore County's schools are proud of their efforts in utilizing advanced technology to benefit their students. They are using video-on-demand in order to help those visual learners in their classrooms. Many other schools are doing the same thing, but Baltimore County has formed a team of teachers so that they may decide the best way to use this technology across the curriculum and all subject matter. I think that it is a great way to try and reach the visual learners, as most 21st century students are, because of the technology that we have grown up with all of our lives. We are used to technical gadgets and devices and can adapt our use of them very quickly.
If wired right, computers do belong in classrooms
By: Bob Sipchen, latimes.com
This article was very interesting and insightful. It talked about many different viewpoints of the importance of technology in today's classrooms. Some software seems to be effective in helping some students learn. I don't think there will be a way to engage all students at the same time in the way that they want to learn. Some are visual, some are kinesthetic and have to actually have hands-on experience in order to understand something. The kinesthetic learners probably do not prefer using computers. I know that it is beneficial for students to know and understand how to use computers and other technological devices, yet I am not sure that it should take over how we introduce all subject matter to the students. I still want my students to be able to look up words in a dictionary, instead of searching Google. I'm afraid that, someday, our society will lose our ingenuity and resourcefulness in the technology era. We might forget how we came to those conclusions and how we invented the new technology gadgets. Our intelligence might actually decrease because of overwhelming lack of use of our brains and relying on computers to tell us what to think and what is right. This is something that society needs to be aware of and caution against in the future.
By: Laura DeVaney, eSchool News
Baltimore County's schools are proud of their efforts in utilizing advanced technology to benefit their students. They are using video-on-demand in order to help those visual learners in their classrooms. Many other schools are doing the same thing, but Baltimore County has formed a team of teachers so that they may decide the best way to use this technology across the curriculum and all subject matter. I think that it is a great way to try and reach the visual learners, as most 21st century students are, because of the technology that we have grown up with all of our lives. We are used to technical gadgets and devices and can adapt our use of them very quickly.
If wired right, computers do belong in classrooms
By: Bob Sipchen, latimes.com
This article was very interesting and insightful. It talked about many different viewpoints of the importance of technology in today's classrooms. Some software seems to be effective in helping some students learn. I don't think there will be a way to engage all students at the same time in the way that they want to learn. Some are visual, some are kinesthetic and have to actually have hands-on experience in order to understand something. The kinesthetic learners probably do not prefer using computers. I know that it is beneficial for students to know and understand how to use computers and other technological devices, yet I am not sure that it should take over how we introduce all subject matter to the students. I still want my students to be able to look up words in a dictionary, instead of searching Google. I'm afraid that, someday, our society will lose our ingenuity and resourcefulness in the technology era. We might forget how we came to those conclusions and how we invented the new technology gadgets. Our intelligence might actually decrease because of overwhelming lack of use of our brains and relying on computers to tell us what to think and what is right. This is something that society needs to be aware of and caution against in the future.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Article Reflections
U.S.-born don't learn the language easily
By: Marcela Sanchez
seattlepi.com
This article talks about how students of today are not becoming proficient in the English language, regardless if they were born in the United States or not. Many students claim English as their second language since there are quite a number of recent immigrants in the schools. Some of these ethnic groups have difficulty in gaining proficiency in this language. The surprising fact is that there is also a high number of United States citizens from birth that are struggling in this subject. Even after several years in our educational systems, they are having trouble becoming proficient. Something needs to change in the system and adapt to the children's needs if the current ways are not helping them to progress.
Creating rap lyrics helps inspires young history students
The Boston Globe
By: Angie Green
A middle school history teacher decided to shake things up in his classes by letting students create rap lyrics so that they could remember their material easier. They rapped about famous people who stood up for what was right and justice such as Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Jesse Jackson, and Gandhi. The students said that they had a lot of fun doing this assignment and it was much more interesting than sitting and reading about it in their textbook. I think it is a great way to get the students involved in their learning process and music is an awesome venue for helping people to remember words, facts, and ideas better.
Parents, teachers, kids speak up on ed tech
Communication, access are important to students; most parents believe technology is underused in schools
By: Justin Appel
eSchool News
A survey was done showing that students and parents are more for technology in the classroom and teachers are more hesitant, especially with the use of cell phones in school. Students feel the need to constantly be connected to an assortment of resources. They have grown up with technology and do not know any different, they expect technology to work and work fast with accuracy. This may be a disadvantage when it comes to other types of creativity or thinking for themselves when they know a computer can do it ten times faster and better. I can understand why teachers would not want cell phones in their classrooms as they would be a major distraction, especially with text messaging. However, it would be good for the student to be able to contact a parent or guardian in the event of an emergency so there has to be some middle ground found on that issue.
More students getting laptops instead of textbooks
Louisiana high school becomes latest to switch to an all-digital curriculum
eSchool News staff
This high school is dumping all textbooks and most use of paper and reverting to the total use of laptop computers. They will get to take these computers home and do any and almost all assignments on these high-tech devices. The school received grants and were able to get computers from Apple for the students to utilize. I have always liked working on computers and think that it does take some time off of something that might have taken a lot longer, yet I would not want them to replace the form of actual books and papers. If our students sit at a computer all day and at night to finish homework also, I wonder if this would effect their eyesight at all? I know that I can only stare at a computer screen for so long before my eyes get tired and stressed and I need to take a break. If the computers are all the students use, will the next generation all need to also depend on eye technology to fix their skewed vision? I have always loved to read and would miss reading an actual book over reading from the Internet. There are some advantages to this new technology as it will prepare the students for future jobs and important basic knowledge about it they will need to know, yet there are also many disadvantages that we cannot disregard and must take into account.
By: Marcela Sanchez
seattlepi.com
This article talks about how students of today are not becoming proficient in the English language, regardless if they were born in the United States or not. Many students claim English as their second language since there are quite a number of recent immigrants in the schools. Some of these ethnic groups have difficulty in gaining proficiency in this language. The surprising fact is that there is also a high number of United States citizens from birth that are struggling in this subject. Even after several years in our educational systems, they are having trouble becoming proficient. Something needs to change in the system and adapt to the children's needs if the current ways are not helping them to progress.
Creating rap lyrics helps inspires young history students
The Boston Globe
By: Angie Green
A middle school history teacher decided to shake things up in his classes by letting students create rap lyrics so that they could remember their material easier. They rapped about famous people who stood up for what was right and justice such as Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Jesse Jackson, and Gandhi. The students said that they had a lot of fun doing this assignment and it was much more interesting than sitting and reading about it in their textbook. I think it is a great way to get the students involved in their learning process and music is an awesome venue for helping people to remember words, facts, and ideas better.
Parents, teachers, kids speak up on ed tech
Communication, access are important to students; most parents believe technology is underused in schools
By: Justin Appel
eSchool News
A survey was done showing that students and parents are more for technology in the classroom and teachers are more hesitant, especially with the use of cell phones in school. Students feel the need to constantly be connected to an assortment of resources. They have grown up with technology and do not know any different, they expect technology to work and work fast with accuracy. This may be a disadvantage when it comes to other types of creativity or thinking for themselves when they know a computer can do it ten times faster and better. I can understand why teachers would not want cell phones in their classrooms as they would be a major distraction, especially with text messaging. However, it would be good for the student to be able to contact a parent or guardian in the event of an emergency so there has to be some middle ground found on that issue.
More students getting laptops instead of textbooks
Louisiana high school becomes latest to switch to an all-digital curriculum
eSchool News staff
This high school is dumping all textbooks and most use of paper and reverting to the total use of laptop computers. They will get to take these computers home and do any and almost all assignments on these high-tech devices. The school received grants and were able to get computers from Apple for the students to utilize. I have always liked working on computers and think that it does take some time off of something that might have taken a lot longer, yet I would not want them to replace the form of actual books and papers. If our students sit at a computer all day and at night to finish homework also, I wonder if this would effect their eyesight at all? I know that I can only stare at a computer screen for so long before my eyes get tired and stressed and I need to take a break. If the computers are all the students use, will the next generation all need to also depend on eye technology to fix their skewed vision? I have always loved to read and would miss reading an actual book over reading from the Internet. There are some advantages to this new technology as it will prepare the students for future jobs and important basic knowledge about it they will need to know, yet there are also many disadvantages that we cannot disregard and must take into account.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Podcast Reflection
TedTalks.com
Sir Ken Robinson
Mr. Robinson was a very humorous person who was interesting to listen to. He talked about education and creativity and how he thinks children's creativity is being stifled by today's system of education. We do not teach the arts with the same importance as math and english, especially drama and dance. He brought up some very interesting points on how people found out their talent and began to utilize it. I agree with him that we need to try and cater to everyone's different styles of learning in order to help them to learn about every subject.
Sir Ken Robinson
Mr. Robinson was a very humorous person who was interesting to listen to. He talked about education and creativity and how he thinks children's creativity is being stifled by today's system of education. We do not teach the arts with the same importance as math and english, especially drama and dance. He brought up some very interesting points on how people found out their talent and began to utilize it. I agree with him that we need to try and cater to everyone's different styles of learning in order to help them to learn about every subject.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Article Reflections 3
Bush budget again would cut E2T2
President proposes $56B for education in 2008 - but nothing for ed tech
from eSchool News staff and wire service members
This article talks about education funding that President Bush proposed and where some of the money is going to in the schools and what they would be used for. It also said there were some items being cut and one of them is educational technology. Bush said that he wants to "prepare children for jobs of the future" and technology is an important and essential tool that will be utilized in the future that children will need to be aware of and able to operate. He also said to cut money from teacher quality, arts education, and school counseling. I feel that these areas are extremely important in schools and should not even be considered for cutting money from.
Democrats propse N.O. teacher incentives
Details of legislation unveiled on eve of Bush trip to Gulf Coast
March 2007 By: Bill Walsh
Democrats are proposing a plan to entice educators and administration back into the state of Louisiana by offering them yearly bonuses and house subsidies and other money. They need to get back into the swing of education and teaching children as people move back into the area after Hurricane Katrina's devastation. They will be paid different amounts of money based on their qualifications, whether they stay in New Orleans for at least three years, if they teach ESOL classes, and other specified criteria.
President proposes $56B for education in 2008 - but nothing for ed tech
from eSchool News staff and wire service members
This article talks about education funding that President Bush proposed and where some of the money is going to in the schools and what they would be used for. It also said there were some items being cut and one of them is educational technology. Bush said that he wants to "prepare children for jobs of the future" and technology is an important and essential tool that will be utilized in the future that children will need to be aware of and able to operate. He also said to cut money from teacher quality, arts education, and school counseling. I feel that these areas are extremely important in schools and should not even be considered for cutting money from.
Democrats propse N.O. teacher incentives
Details of legislation unveiled on eve of Bush trip to Gulf Coast
March 2007 By: Bill Walsh
Democrats are proposing a plan to entice educators and administration back into the state of Louisiana by offering them yearly bonuses and house subsidies and other money. They need to get back into the swing of education and teaching children as people move back into the area after Hurricane Katrina's devastation. They will be paid different amounts of money based on their qualifications, whether they stay in New Orleans for at least three years, if they teach ESOL classes, and other specified criteria.
Article Reflections 2
www.marketwire.com/mw/iwprf?id=208796
"Innovative AskVox.com Answers Questions With Personality"
Market Wire
AskVox.com sounds like a great idea for people learning how to navigate the Internet and to help them get answers to their questions that might not be the easiest to get from search engines. It makes the Web a little more personal to have a voice speaking answers instead of listing thousands of websites that might have the information a person is looking for.
www.marketwire.com/mw/iwprf?id=209355%20
"Podshow's Popular Video and Audio Shows Earn Top Honors Competing Against All Media"
Market Wire
ISTE releases draft of new tech standards
Organization seeks feedback on major refresh of its National Educational Technology Standards for students
By Laura DeVaney, Associate editor, eSchool News
In the past, technology education consisted of teaching students about the new tools used for technology. In this day and age of the rapid growth of technology, they are concentrating more on creativity, cognitive skills, learning skills, and innovation. They want to focus on the skills needed in order to be innovative and creative with technology rather than competency with tools. I see the impact of technology on my generation versus older generations and I can see that youth in today's society are equipped to handle just about any computer system or electronics simply by figuring out how it works through trial and error and they are able to master this in a short amount of time. Whereas senior citizens were not used to thinking in this way, so they would have more difficulty.
"Innovative AskVox.com Answers Questions With Personality"
Market Wire
AskVox.com sounds like a great idea for people learning how to navigate the Internet and to help them get answers to their questions that might not be the easiest to get from search engines. It makes the Web a little more personal to have a voice speaking answers instead of listing thousands of websites that might have the information a person is looking for.
www.marketwire.com/mw/iwprf?id=209355%20
"Podshow's Popular Video and Audio Shows Earn Top Honors Competing Against All Media"
Market Wire
ISTE releases draft of new tech standards
Organization seeks feedback on major refresh of its National Educational Technology Standards for students
By Laura DeVaney, Associate editor, eSchool News
In the past, technology education consisted of teaching students about the new tools used for technology. In this day and age of the rapid growth of technology, they are concentrating more on creativity, cognitive skills, learning skills, and innovation. They want to focus on the skills needed in order to be innovative and creative with technology rather than competency with tools. I see the impact of technology on my generation versus older generations and I can see that youth in today's society are equipped to handle just about any computer system or electronics simply by figuring out how it works through trial and error and they are able to master this in a short amount of time. Whereas senior citizens were not used to thinking in this way, so they would have more difficulty.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Article Reflections
Readin, Writin, and Textin
By: Debra Melani
www.rockymountainnews.com
Reflection: I think that much of the new high-tech gadgets that most children utilize are not necessary, especially to use during school hours. I don't know if I would condone their use in school. The only exception that I would allow would be for the safety issue. Students should probably be able to carry their cell phones with them, but I would want them to be turned off. If there is an emergency, though, it would be there and available for them to use.
MySpace to carry Amber alerts
By: Associated Press
www.contracostatimes.com
Reflection: It is a great idea to show Amber alerts over MySpace, because so many people are connected to it and might check their MySpace profile more often than they would listen to the radio or watch it on TV. It would get the word out faster and more widespread as soon as possible after a child is missing.
Augmented reality helps kids learn
By: Laura DeVaney
www.eschoolnews.org
Reflection: The 'augmented reality' handheld devices sound like they would be very beneficial to learning and show students what it would be like in certain situations in history or any subject. It would be a fun, new way of helping them work on math and literacy skills. The only problem, I would think, would be the funding for a project like this to get in public schools. I'm sure something like this program is not cheap, but if a school can afford it, it would prove to be beneficial.
By: Debra Melani
www.rockymountainnews.com
Reflection: I think that much of the new high-tech gadgets that most children utilize are not necessary, especially to use during school hours. I don't know if I would condone their use in school. The only exception that I would allow would be for the safety issue. Students should probably be able to carry their cell phones with them, but I would want them to be turned off. If there is an emergency, though, it would be there and available for them to use.
MySpace to carry Amber alerts
By: Associated Press
www.contracostatimes.com
Reflection: It is a great idea to show Amber alerts over MySpace, because so many people are connected to it and might check their MySpace profile more often than they would listen to the radio or watch it on TV. It would get the word out faster and more widespread as soon as possible after a child is missing.
Augmented reality helps kids learn
By: Laura DeVaney
www.eschoolnews.org
Reflection: The 'augmented reality' handheld devices sound like they would be very beneficial to learning and show students what it would be like in certain situations in history or any subject. It would be a fun, new way of helping them work on math and literacy skills. The only problem, I would think, would be the funding for a project like this to get in public schools. I'm sure something like this program is not cheap, but if a school can afford it, it would prove to be beneficial.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
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