This week I also reviewed a web based tool called Field Trip Earth. This website allows users to explore a variety of science and environmental related projects going on around the world. The site includes blogs, photos, and videos from scientists conducting projects and research on all continents.
This web tool can be used to get small groups of students to interact at a computer and take turns picking a place to explore. It can also provide an interactive experience for the students, allowing younger students to watch videos & look at pictures while older students can read the blogs and get more in depth.
This tool could be used to supplement my weather lesson plan by asking the children to find examples of different types of weather in the photos or videos. The classroom will need to be set-up to allow internet access from a computer for children to use this web tool.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
WK 7 - Educational Software Review
This week I reviewed an educational software program called Discovery Channel School: Science Collection CD-ROMs. This software is a series of CD-ROMS that bring high-quality science learning of Discovery Channel to the computer screen. The CD's include topics on Earth, Physical, and Life Sciences. The CD's include video segments, documentary footage, reference tools, and a full set of activities that engage children in experiments and explorations.
Overall, I found this software to be very high quality and it is well organized. My only concern would be that there could be some attempt to promote the Discovery Channel programming to children within the software, but if getting kids to watch educational TV is the only commercial bias, I can't complain too much!
Overall, I found this software to be very high quality and it is well organized. My only concern would be that there could be some attempt to promote the Discovery Channel programming to children within the software, but if getting kids to watch educational TV is the only commercial bias, I can't complain too much!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
WK 6 - Mobile Computing Devices in the Classroom
Schools are now starting to use mobile computing devices such as Ipods or Ipads in the class. This technology has several advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages include the fact the each child can have his or her own device. This keeps the children's attention and keeps them involved. They can work at their own pace. These devices could also be brought on field trips to access additional information while traveling.
The disadvantages of these devices are that they may contribute to less personal communication between the students and teachers. They are also expensive right now, and may be difficult to keep accountability of with large classes. The school would also have to budget for maintenance and repairs.
If I had these devices in the classroom, I would use them to let more children access online content at the same time. If each child had an Ipad, I could also give them self-paced assignments, such as quizzes to take or videos to watch, while I rotated between children working one-on-one with other activities.
The advantages include the fact the each child can have his or her own device. This keeps the children's attention and keeps them involved. They can work at their own pace. These devices could also be brought on field trips to access additional information while traveling.
The disadvantages of these devices are that they may contribute to less personal communication between the students and teachers. They are also expensive right now, and may be difficult to keep accountability of with large classes. The school would also have to budget for maintenance and repairs.
If I had these devices in the classroom, I would use them to let more children access online content at the same time. If each child had an Ipad, I could also give them self-paced assignments, such as quizzes to take or videos to watch, while I rotated between children working one-on-one with other activities.
WK 6 - Research and Information Fluency
One of the NETS for Students is to be competent at Research and Information Fluency. This week, I learned how to evaluate a website to determine if it is likely to be credible or not. This skill specifically relates to the ability to "evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks" which is one of the NETS sub-tasks.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
WK 5 - Blog 2 - Using Delicious
What did you least and most like about creating and using a Delicious account?
This week I created a Delicious account (http://www.delicious.com/). I liked the fact that I can search by tags to find web pages, such as the EDU 271 pages. I also like the idea of sharing book marks with friends. This may be useful in the future.
I least liked the fact that I had to either link my Gmail account or create a new Yahoo account. I'm concerned about privacy with so many different accounts on the internet.
I could use this to easily share web pages, such as Wiki's or blogs, with other classmates. I also could use it to share useful teaching pages with other teachers.
This week I created a Delicious account (http://www.delicious.com/). I liked the fact that I can search by tags to find web pages, such as the EDU 271 pages. I also like the idea of sharing book marks with friends. This may be useful in the future.
I least liked the fact that I had to either link my Gmail account or create a new Yahoo account. I'm concerned about privacy with so many different accounts on the internet.
I could use this to easily share web pages, such as Wiki's or blogs, with other classmates. I also could use it to share useful teaching pages with other teachers.
WK 5 - Blog 1 - Webpage Evaluation: NOAA’s National Weather Service
This week I evaluated the NOAA’s National Weather Service web page (http://www.weather.gov/).
This is the official government source for weather. This website is reliable and can be trusted since the NOAA Leadership includes people with extensive backgrounds in science and law. This web page provides information on weather and weather related alerts. It helps public safety. It is an official government website and the organization has very well educated people leading it.
This is the official government source for weather. This website is reliable and can be trusted since the NOAA Leadership includes people with extensive backgrounds in science and law. This web page provides information on weather and weather related alerts. It helps public safety. It is an official government website and the organization has very well educated people leading it.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Creating a Hyperlink in a Wiki
This week I created a hyperlink in my Group project Wiki. Although I have created hyperlinks before, I learned that the Wiki has a couple more steps because of its menu. I now understand how other wiki's (like Wikipedia) are constructed and built by many different people.
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