WK 7 - Web Based Tools Evaluation

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Group Collaboration and Problem Sovling

The best part of getting to know group members is finding out more about them personally, such as where they work or what they do in their free time.

I found that using Blackboard to email my group members directly was helpful to get in touch. I learned this technique earlier in my online classes. The biggest challenge so far seems to be having so many different pages, emails, and systems to keep up with.

My Teaching Philosophy

My primary role as a teacher is to provide a role model for students. I will do this by learning the latest software and computer skills and using them in my classroom, teaching the children what I have learned. By knowing the technology, I will teach the children how to organize their files and use the computer software to help them learn to create their own data sheets, word documents, blogs, web pages, etc. I will also learn to utilize student-centered teaching strategies.

I think the goal of learning for my students should be to become good learners. Of course I will teach them the basic facts of the curriculum, but I really want them to "learn to learn" so they will be able to educate themselves later in life. If the become good learners today, they can teach tomorrow.

In my classroom, I will blend whole-group activities, small group activities, and individual work. I see technology becoming more important every year. It will impact what size learning groups I may have too teach. I will use technology to help reach more of my students unique and different ways.

Course Goals

What do you already know and what do you want to learn?

I have the basics of Microsoft office word, Microsoft excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint. My goal is to become more knowledgeable about the different software and programs that the computers offer. Based on the Survey Monkey survey, there are some types of computer programs and software that I am not familiar with.

Explain why you chose these goals?
I can better assist my students and be more efficient doing my daily planning.

Introduction

My name is Mary Larch and I developed this Blog for my Educational Technology class.