On the first day of class, I had no idea what to expect in this class. I was nervous and excited at the same time. Since then, I have learned many new and wonderful ways to incorporate technology into my classroom. I would have to admit that I really struggled with using wevideo. It is not a very user-friendly website and the tutorials on canvas were of no help either. Either way I completed the assignment. My strong point in the class would have to be the website. Not because of it being easy, because it was far from an easy project. I just really had fun doing it. I also think that is something I will get the most use out of. Interaction between the instructor was great. I really liked the fact that she sent a weekly “announcement” informing everyone of what was expected for the week. This kept me on track and was extremely helpful. Assigning the group project in the first few weeks of class made communication easier between my classmates and I. It was an icebreaker for sure. I did notice that from then on, when we had a question, we asked our group for suggestions or help instead of the whole class. Many of the communication tools we were taught in this class will really be helpful when we get a classroom of our own. It is a teacher’s job to assure that every child in the classroom is successful in learning the material presented. Since no two children learn the same way, it is crucial that teachers have an arsenal if tools available to use to offer a quality education to all students. Pre-recording the reading portion of a lesson or story as a podcast would allow students with reading disabilities to listen to the story instead of reading it, therefore, the student can participate without falling behind. The blog folio was another fun project to do. In the beginning, trying to figure Weebly was a bit of a struggle but the more I played with it, the easier it became. One of the many things I enjoyed was being able to go back and see my projects that I had completed. The one thing I would change is having to comment on the post of the other members of my group. To me, it is a waste of time. I would rather spend the little time that I have in a more productive way. In fact, I don’t think I have even went back to read the comments that were posted on my blog. In all, this was a very fun and informative class. I learned a lot form almost every project that we were assigned. I am planning on using most of the tools in my future classroom to help with communication with parents and students or as a tool to help my students succeed in learning in the least restrictive way possible. With that said........ YES, THIS IS THE END!!!
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When it comes to integrating technology into the math and science curriculum, there are many different options available that would benefit the students and enhance the learning environment of the classroom. Math can be a very tricky subject for some kids to master. In fact, even as an adult, I sometimes struggle with math. I often find my self turning to the internet for strategies to solve trouble problem. There are many ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. Technology can be as simple as a calculator or as advanced as interactive software. Virtual manipulative help students make a concrete representation of abstract concepts. Implementing data-driven curricula provides real data and statistics to support investigation and helps students develop skills in data analysis. As for science instruction, the best way to teach science is to have students do science. Science integration is based on the BSCS 5e framework. This includes involving students in online projects Online science labs are another great technology tool that can benefit students.
Issues of integrating technology in special education Though the benefits outweigh the issues, the issues still pose a challenge in incorporating technology in special education classroom. The issues depend on the presenting disability. Students with physical disabilities might have trouble with the physical aspect of using the computer. Utilizing a joystick could resolve some of those issues. Students with some cognitive disorders or speech disorders could use a text to speech program strengthening communication. Technology is also very expensive. Many school districts may have a problem affording the technology for the classroom. This week we had to create a web site to share with the parents of our students. The web site will be used as a means of parent/teacher correspondence. It can be used as a place for parents to get information on what is happening in the class. I enjoyed making the web site but had no idea how much work and time it took to create it. I think after the initial setup and design it will be easy to maintain. The one thing I did not like about the assignment was the quiz. I felt the quiz is pointless. It can only be made with five questions and there are not many ways to edit it. It is too simple of an element. I think having a website would be a neat and easy form of communication once the setup completes.
Mrs. Campbell's Fifth Grade Connection This week we learned of some pretty neat tools that I can definitely see myself using as a new teacher. We had to create a rubric using rubistar. This we really easy to do. Almost every aspect is customizable. We also had to create a test and an answer key using EasyTestMaker. This was very easy as well. There are a variety of type of questions that you can choose from. You just pick the question type, type in the question and click add question. It is that easy. You can even add images. Both of these websites are great tools and easy to use.
My rubric My test My answer key ![]() Itergrating tecnology into today's elementary education is becoming a more standard practice. Since technology is becoming more and more complex it is important that we gets kids ready to adjust to a digital life. As I type this, I am part of a huge change in education, thanks to the digital demand. I am able to get my education from The University of Southern Mississippi without ever stepping a foot in Hattiesburg, Mississippi much less on campus. This allows me to continue my job and care for my family easier then having to commute two hours a day. Some higher education institutions are also offering blended learning environments. This is an interesting concept and would work well for certain courses. Being a student in distance education means that the use of audio and video technology will need to be implemented. This week we had to submit a lecture recorded as a podcast. We used the online program Vocaroo which was extremely easy to use. It was as simple as hitting the record button to start and the stop button when you're finished. There is nothing to install or special equipment needed. This is definitely something I can see myself using in future. My podcast Resources and skills required for multimedia/hypermedia design, development, and integration9/23/2017 ![]() I understand the need to be up to date on the latest technology in the classroom. This is the only way to keep up with the demanding world. Until this week, I thought I was pretty tech savvy. Chapter 6 has taught me that there is still so much more to learn about being digitally inclined. I generally use Google for all my internet needs but not all sites or programs work well with all browsers. I need to familiarize myself with many different browsers in case of technical problems. If my lesson relies on the internet then I must have a solid "plan B" to fall back on in case of a technical error. I need to also make sure my students are fully aware of the rules of safe browsing as well as the proper way to download a file, properly searching for a subject, using email, and possibly even blogs. Integrating technology can be a fun and rewarding experince if done properly. My experiences of creating a multimedia project This week I used wevideo.com to create a digital story. Since it was a program that I was unfamiliar with, it took me way longer than I would have liked to complete the assignment. I encountered many problems that almost drove me "over the edge". Timing being the main one. If the timing of the clip length is not correct then you encounter a big problem when it is time to add your audio. I am not sure if the website was not as "user friendly" as it should be or if it an issue on my end. Since I had such a bad experience with it this time, I will have to try it again before I can decide if it is something I will use in my classroom. Although I am happy with my video, as of now, I would rather get a tooth pulled then have to visit wevideo again. My Digital Story My Google group project was very informative and fun. The classmates that were assigned into my group were a pleasure to work with. The were all eager to offer assistance to anyone who needed it. I must admit that this was my first time ever using Google for anything other the a search engine or email so this was a learning process. As a group, we collaborated together on an assortment of projects. We created a discussion board, a presentation, a story, a spreadsheet, and a survey. They were all pretty easy to become familiar with. I could see using the spreadsheet to collaborate with other instructors to keep track of progress or lack there of. The survey feature could me a great "get to know you" tool during the beginning of the year. In all honesty the opportunities to use the different features are almost endless. I had no idea that google offered all the extra bonus features. Being able to share a document or spreadsheet with colleagues and them having the ability to edit it will come in very handy. [email protected] My Group My presentation spreadsheet story survey The definition of instructional software according to its categories and their usages in classroom.
Our textbook defines instructional software as “a general term for computer programs used specifically to deliver instruction or assist with the delivery of instruction on a topic” (page 75). There are 5 types of instructional software: drill & practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional game, and problem solving. Drill & practice software can be very useful in the classroom. it allows students to polish up on skills of advance their mastery while the teacher moves the class instruction along. It is made up of activities in which students work example items and receive immediate feedback on their correctness. Drill and practice helps students with automatic recall. Our school district uses both Moby Max and Reflex. Tutorial is complete self-paced instruction, not a supplement to a teacher's instruction. It is a stand-alone instruction that does not require any in-person teacher because it offers everything you need to teach a skill. This works best if a student falls behind or transfers from a different school that has not yet touched on the current material. Simulation is a computerized model of a real or imagined system that is designed to teach how the system works. These are more prevalent in science instruction. Instructional game add game like rules along with competition to learning activities. I remember playing these types of activities when I was in school. I always looked forward to "game day". Problem solving software focus on fostering component skills. It provides the opportunity to practice solving various kinds of content area problems. The features and capabilities of word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software tool program, and my suggestions for how to use them in classroom. Word processing, spreadsheet, and Presentation programs are three basic software tools. Those three are used in the classroom to help improve productivity, appearance, and accuracy of information that is handed to the students. Word processing programs are used to create worksheets, lesson plans, and also with newsletters and communication with parents. They can also be used to prepare annual reports. Spreadsheets are used to create documents that help keep teachers organized. Student's attendance and grades are organized with spreadsheets. Presentation software can also be used in the classroom frequently. Since it is a program that is used to present information, it can be used to display supplemental information on a lesson. It can also be used for students projects. Students can then present their projects to the class. Tools that can be used to support teaching and learning tasks for both teachers and students. There are a seven different categories of software support tools that can be used in the classroom to help teachers and students. Material generators, data collections and analysis tools, testing and grading tools, graphic tools, planning and organizing tools, research and references tools, and lastly content area tools. All of these tools can help teachers as well as students. Material generators help teachers and students produce instructional materials on paper. Data collection and analysis tools help teachers collect and organize information to provide feedback and support decision making. Testing and grading tools help teachers collect and track assessment information to measure students progress. Graphics tools allow manipulation of images to illustrate documents and web pages. Planning and organizing tools help teachers and students conceptualize, organize, and communicate their ideas. Research and reference tools allows students to look information in electronic versions of encyclopedia, atlas, and dictionaries. Content-are tools support teaching and learning activities in various subject matter areas.
The definitions of educational technology and issues in education and technology. There is no denying that we live in a digital age. Everywhere you look someone has their face buried in some sort of electronic device. Technology has taken over every aspect of our lives including education. Education technology is defined in our book as " A combination of the processes and tools involved in addressing educational needs and problems, with an emphasis on applying the most current digital and informational tools" (pg 5). With the world heavily relying on technology, there is no question that our school system would follow along. I remember when I was in elementary school. We had state of the art technology. We had an overhead projector! It was so cool to see the images projected on the screen. Technology has changed ten fold from way back then. It has help the world evolve and develop beyond our wildest imagination. Educational technology offers students the opportunity to learn beyond the classroom. The internet can transport a student to anywhere in the world in less than ten seconds. But just like every thing, there is always bad that comes with the good. Educational technology comes with plenty of issues. Technology is constantly evolving. No sooner do you get a brand new computer from the store and out of the box, it seems that it becomes obsolete. This rapid development can be troubling for already overworked educators. Since they need to keep up with technology, teachers must invest even more time than they do now to become familiar with the information. Safety of the children is also a major issue with using technology in education. All data and personal information is stored on computers that are accessible via the internet. This puts children's vital information in jeopardy if the system gets hacked. Many computers are also equipped with a GPS tracking system which can track children's whereabouts. To me the most serious safety issue is, the more time a child spends on the internet, the more susceptible they become to predators. There are health risk associated with computer use such as eye strain as well as hearing loss if headphones are used. Since everyday technology has developed to the point of smartphones and handheld devices, everyone is walking around with a computer in their pocket. This becomes a distraction to children. It prevents the student from giving their full attention to instruction. On average, a student's cell phone rings five times a month in my fifth grade classes. With an estimate of spending five minutes to turn off the device and settle the class back down, that is a approximately 25 minutes my students miss of vital instruction a month. Learning theories for technology integration and the technology integration planning model for teachers. Everyone has their own opinion butt there are two main perspectives on what strategies will best meet our educational goals, Directed instruction and Inquiry based learning. Directed instruction is teacher based activities and theorist believe that knowledge is external therefore transmitted to the learner. Inquiry based learning is knowledge is generated through experiences. Behaviorist believe that children base their behavior on what rewards they will receive. This makes sense. Every computer program that we implement in our school district has some sort of reward system. Once the student completes the lesson, they are awarded points that they can later redeem in the virtual "store" or they get to unlock a game and have a few minutes of "game play". Since all students are different, integrating technology into the classroom can be challenging. Teachers need to have a complete understanding of the classroom as a whole as well as each individual student. There is no "best" method to implement technology into a lesson. It is more like trial and error. The model that worked best last year may not be as effective on the next set of kids. With each group of children being different, teachers must assess the effectiveness and then decide whether or not to make a change. ![]() Hey Y'all, My Name is Jessica Campbell. I am 35 years old. I am a TA at South Side Upper Elementary School in Picayune MS. I have been married for 13 years to my fabulous firefighting husband. We have three wonderfully unique kids who keep me extremely busy with travel soccer and competitive dance. My entire life, I dreamed of being a homicide detective. After four years in law enforcement and a chance encounter, I had a change of heart as well as a change of career. |
AuthorJessica Campbell |