Blog 2: Goecaching

Description

Geocaching is a high-tech worldwide treasure hunt. By using GPS handheld devices hunters can search for caches by entering in longitude and latitude coordinates. Caches can be a variety of things from containers that can contain a variety of information or a set of questions and answers that can lead to an end result. Once a cache has been developed, hidden, and the coordinates entered into a website, the search is open.

Key Finding

In the article, ?Hide and Seek: GPS and Geocaching in the Classroom,? author Lynn Lary describes ways to incorporate the system into the classroom. The GPS unit is used to enter in the coordinates of the cache and the unit is then used to navigate and find the cache. The units are accurate to within several meters so it?s not that difficult to find what you?re looking for.

Lary discussed her involvement with a two-day camp in which students were paired into groups to find landmarks around the campus. Lary also created an outdoor geocache for the students and received exceptional results. She found that the students were motivated and excited. The students wanted to do more and were grateful for the experiences they had.

Lary also discusses locationless caching in which a GPS is not required. A developer can describe items they are in search of and hunters can find and post pictures of the objects.

Lary also points out the GPS unit is a resource. It is a tool to help the students or the hunter. The GPS will only give you the information. You have to know how to manipulate the unit to get the information that you need. Students were given clues for each location. Without the correct answers to the clues the coordinates would be off and the students would not be able to locate the cache.

Reflection

Honestly, I was not as fond of geocaching until I read the article for the third time. After that, something just clicked and I realized that this would be a great classroom experience. I currently teach Digital Communication Systems and twenty-four percent of the course is devoted to alternative input devices. We go over GPS systems and I think that not only the students, but I would get a kick out of using one.

Who doesn?t like scavenger hunts? As a child you loved the Easter Egg hunts to a simple game of Hide and Seek. People get a kick out of finding things that are supposedly difficult to find.

I could create multi-site caches that require the students to complete one stage before going to the next.Students would search the campus for clues. It is important for the students to see how to use the device in the real world, but through this light assignement, students can see how technology is also used for fun. Although, the students will have to know how math, the assignment as a whole would focus on the fun learning experience.

It is vital that the students have the opportunity to learn about the device. Without this knowledge, the students would not know how to enter in the information to find the caches that they needed.

Of course I would have to devise roles for each student in the group. These roles would change from cache to cache to allow each student to experience each role.

Posted at 08:56AM Nov 17, 2006 by MCCRAY, CATRICE in General  |  Comments[0]

Blog 5: Read/Write Web

Internet: Read/Write Web

Description

The read/write web consists of three tools: Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasting. Blogs enable a person or group to create a website to allow online conversations without learning hypertext language. Wikis are website that anyone can edit at anytime. Podcasts are digital recordings made available on the Internet.

Key Findings

In Will Richardson?s article ?The Educator?s Guide to the Read/Write Web? Richardson explains that the Internet is not longer a place to get information, but also a place to disseminate information.

With blogs, people can share information by just logging in, entering text, and publishing. Many students already use blogs for diaries but they can use in the academic setting to develop higher-order thinking skills.

With wikis, collaborative content creation tools, users can create websites that anyone can edit at any time. When an entry is created the creators of the wiki site to not verify the information, instead allows it to be edited by other users. You would think that wikis would have less than accurate information more times than not, however this is not the case. Users of the wiki sites feel obligated to make sure factual information in presented and make corrections when necessary. One of the most popular wiki sites is Wikipedia.com, which contains entries on more than 500,000 topics.

In the article Richardson discusses how wikis can be used as informational resources for students. Students post information about a particular subject and if the information is incorrect, it can be edited by other students in the learning community; whether that is the class, school, or collaboration of schools. Students can retain the information better, because they in essence are reteaching the material.

Podcasts are another method in which information can be transmitted over the Internet. Basically, podcasting involves recording an event or discussion and transmitting via the Internet as a way of hearing the information at a later point in time.  Many times the files care downloaded as MP3 and can then become mobile with the user.

Reflection

In order to prepare our students for the future they not only need to know how to be followers, but leaders as well. Until grad school, I was unaware of all the information and tools out there to develop. Although I teach technology, I am not technologically savvy. I would much rather write and send a letter than email. However, I am charged with making sure the future is prepared to continue on. They can make a decision what they use later in life; I just want them to be prepared just in case.

I would really love to implement blogs into my class. As a teacher in the Middle Years Programme (IB) my students are required to reflect on things they have done in the class. Just as what we are doing now, my students can do the same for units of studying. The students have to list information they knew before we began the unity. They also must list the concepts they learned, who or what they learned them from and what they think they will remember 10 years from now. After students have posted their reflection, they can post comments to at least two other students from any section of the class- not just their own. Also, like the article stated, students can use the blogs as portfolios of their work. They may not want to include everything, but items they want to share.

I am also found of the Wikis. We use a wiki, Wikipedia, quite frequently in class. The wealth of information is overwhelming. Just think, you have historians, researchers, and professors publishing books, journals, encyclopedias and other professional documents, when many times the layman might know more accurate information. Wikis give raise to the layman expressing their experience and knowledge. When students realize that ?experts? can be those without extra letters added to their names, they may be able to make a valuable contribution. Students can build on knowledge of others through edits. This can also help the students understand constructive criticism. People hate to be told they?re wrong, so students can understand the delicacies of criticism. Also (hopefully this rarely happens) if there are mistakes, students will be able to develop their evaluating skills. They can understand that everything published it not always accurate. They cannot take everything they read as truth; they have to be able to analyze their sources.

Posted at 08:54AM Nov 17, 2006 by MCCRAY, CATRICE in General  |  Comments[0]

Blog 1: Laptop Computers

Description

Although they do not have as much capacity as desktops laptops computers when incorporated into the school setting have the potential in to increase student achievement. Integration not only in computer classes but all classes can help students grasp material better and develop high order think skills.

Key Findings

In the article, "Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students" Bonifaz and Zucker discuss issues that focus on providing all students with laptop computers. States focus on 1:1 ratios where each student has the opportunity to have their own laptop to assist them with the academic endeavors. Policymakers goals for laptop initiatives include increasing economic competitiveness, reducing inequities in access to computers and information between students from wealthy and poor families, and raising student achievement through specific interventions. Also, Bonifaz and Zucker add that a good leadership team focusing on: curriculum and content, the culture of the building, and technical needs are essential in making the initiative successful. For states and countries interested in promoting the laptop initiative Bonifaz and Zucker offer five categories to help including: Planning, Training & Professional Development, Managing Change, and Monitoring & Evaluation.

            In the article, "Research: What it says About 1 to 1 Learning" researchers at Apple Computers believe the 1 to 1 initiatives can help the transition in schools from occasional use to an integral use across several settings. Most research has found that students involved with the initiatives mainly use the laptops for writing, taking notes, completing homework assignments, keeping organized, communicating with peers and their teachers, and researching topics on the Internet and for these tasks, they are using word-processing software, web browsers, email, and chat.

Reflection

I have always been a huge fan of helping students advance academically and in today's society knowing how to incorporate and use technology is vital now and for the future. I teach Digital Communication Systems and Business Law and I have enough computers for all of my students. I would not be able to operate and teach the curriculum without them. However, my class is the only time many students have access to a computer. There is a stark difference between the students who have access to a computer at home and those who do not. If students do not use the skills they learn on a consistent basis, they will lose it. Many students may have taken a computer course in middle school, but if they don?t use the programs and apply the material taught, they lag behind when I get them as sophomores and juniors.

There is supposed to be technology incorporated in every subject, with maybe one computer in each class, it is difficult for those without them to incorporate, let alone many teachers don't understand the technology themselves. With technology being at the forefront of our society and with almost every decent job requiring some type of computer skills, our students need to be ready and providing laptops for them will help do so.

The portability of the laptop allows the student to have access to technology in a variety of arenas. Those without computers at home will not be able to complete assignments there. Many times teachers do not take into account that every student does not have the same equipment or access to technology outside of the classroom. I make sure that everything that I do involving technology can be done in the class. I try to arrange time around the average student, but those that are slower would be prime examples of why the laptop initiative would be important. These students have to resort to going to the public libraries, staying after school, and losing lunchtime to complete work. Also, teachers without desktops would be able to integrate technology more. Students have the laptops on hand and the issue of reserving computer labs will become obsolete.

Students will also have a chance to educate others around them. A student whose household does not have a computer or whose household is computer illiterate, will have the opportunity to share this technology with others. Parents who never got the chance to experience this will now learn from the child, and by teaching, the student is gaining more comprehension of the material taught.

In my computer lab, I would much rather have laptops than the desktops. The laptops would create greater space for the students to do other work. If the students were al given laptops, they could just come in and set up. Since laptops are portable, students would not have to be held up in a lab to complete assignments. In my DCS class, we introduce students to business documents such as minutes and agendas. As a service project, students would have to link with an organization and take the minutes at a meeting. Since the student has access to the laptop, they are able to input the minutes and possibly distribute the minutes by print or email instantaneously.

Posted at 08:53AM Nov 17, 2006 by MCCRAY, CATRICE in General  |  Comments[0]

Blog 6: WebQuests

Internet: WebQuests

                       

Description

A webquest is defined as ?an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use learners? time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners? thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.?

Key Findings

In the article by Bernie Dodge ?FOCUS: Five Rules for Writing a Great WebQuest? Dodge offers five suggestions to help our students develop their high-order thinking skills. He explains that WebQuests are appealing because they provide structure and guidance to students and teachers alike. He offers thee five rules to help educators create actual WebQuests and not what he describes as ?merely worksheets with URLs.?

The five rules: FOCUS

Find great sites.

Orchestrate your learners and resources.

Challenge your learners to think.

Use the medium.

Scaffold high expectations.

The first rule is to find great sited. He suggests that creators master a search engine, probe the deep Web and not just skim the surface, and not to lose the information you find. The second rule involves orchestrating the learners and resources. This deals with making sure you have enough equipment to be successful and also organizing the students if you plan on using teams.

The third rule deals with challenging the students. Simply asking them to regurgitate information they found is not enough. Dodge states that the key element of a webquest is the Task, which can engage students in creativity, design, problem solving and judgment.

The fourth rule is to use the medium. Clearly, we use the Internet for WebQuests the people, conversation, and glitz of the web become essential. Lastly, Dodge suggests that you scaffold high expectations. WebQuests asks students to do something out of the ordinary. The three types of scaffolding in a webquest are reception (provides guidance in learning), transformation (take what you learn and form something new), and production (create something).

Reflection

I enjoy the idea of WebQuests. Students are able to go beyond the mundane to experience something they usually don?t get the chance to. WebQuests when done correctly require the students to use their higher-order thinking skills. The students are required to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the components of the webquest.

I have used WebQuests in my class before. Ones that I borrowed from other educators and some I have created myself. The FOCUS rules that Dodge gives are great tools to use when developing a new or revising a webquest.

Dodge states in the beginning that the quest is more than going to websites and finding the information, which is what I thought a webquest was when I was first introduced to the word. I quickly came to realize that type of activity is a web search. There was no challenge behind it.

I agree with Dodge in that the task is the most important component of the webquest. A great task can set the tone for the quest. It simply goes beyond the paraphrasing of information seen on the sites but evaluating the information to get to the desired end result.

When we do reports in my class, I usually have to students research and write on a health issue. I could develop a Webquest in which the students in the end could create a short play about a person with the disease and how they cope. Student teams could consist of the patient, helath care provider, family, etc. Students would have resources to help them find out the information and they would be evaluated on the presentation of information.

Posted at 08:39AM Nov 17, 2006 by MCCRAY, CATRICE in General  |  Comments[0]

Blog 4: Digital Video

Software: Digital Video

 

Description

Digital Video is a program that is used to create and edit video shot with a digital camera. Students film the information they need and edit the video to get to the finished product. In the classroom, students can use this software to edit and develop videos not only for themselves, but also the class, school, and community.

 

Key Findings

 

Janet Bremer and colleague Marilyn Clark wrote the article ?Filming Compassion? in which the students use the software in service learning projects. In the service learning projects, the students learn and create a video for nonprofit organizations to use when educating the public on various topics. One grouped worked with a church to create a video for the church?s volunteers. Another group worked with a homeless shelter to create an information video for those who wanted to donate.

 

The nonprofit organizations could not provide any equipment or staff members to oversee the production. Also the end products were not guaranteed to be professional quality.

 

Due to the project, the students were able to gain skills not only in service learning, but also in the production of video.

 

Reflection

 

I found this article and use of software to be the best implication of what students can do with technology. I teach a unit on ethics and the impact technology has on society. We look at the negative aspects and how human skills have to change to compete and work with technology. Many students share storied of family members who have lost jobs and had to go back to school to keep up. We like at the issue of ?playing God? with technology. What is going to far? But this is prime example of how technology positively impacts society.

 

I teach at an IB school that has the Middle Years and Diploma Programs. Add to that the new Wake County high school graduation project, and students will at some point have to some servicing in the community. This project goes beyond, recording something or someone. It requires knowledge in the use of the software as well as the creation of a video.

 

I teach alternative input devices in my Digital Communication Systems class. We investigate devices such as: tablets, PDAs, GPS systems, web cams, and digital camcorders to name a few. Well rather than just spit out the specifications of the device and allow students to video themselves and the room, if time permitted-I could incorporate some service learning as well.

 

For instance, as stated we are an IB school but very immature as we just became one last year. Therefore, many teachers and students are still unfamiliar with the program and what?s different about it. Students could make short videos for teachers, parents, and students to outline the program. What does it look like, and answer other questions people may have. Students could create the video for teachers that can help them understand what their classroom should look and sound like with IB.

 

Of course, we could not spend more than a week because of time, but the students would feel successful with a finished product and something they could be proud of.

Posted at 11:34AM Nov 11, 2006 by MCCRAY, CATRICE in General  |  Comments[0]

Blog 3: Spreadsheets

Software: Spreadsheets

Description

 

Spreadsheets are programs that allow you to use rows and columns to manage, predict, and present information. With a spreadsheet program, you are able to use mathematical formulas to calculate information and display charts to get a graphical representation of the data.

 

Key Findings

 

Margaret Niess? article states that ?Technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances student learning.? I completely agree with this statement. One, I teach technology and two I am a little bias on the positive side towards math. Math is an essential component that our students will need throughout their entire lives. It goes back to the ?three R?s? that were focused on in school decades ago: Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic. Theses are the core foundations that out students need.

 

However, I?m sure it can get pretty mundane just using paper and pencil to get things done. Students get very excited when using calculators to solve their problems, just imagine the excitement level when students are able to use spreadsheets. When using the software, the students are using technology to develop their problem solving, and decision-making skills.

Reflection

 

I love spreadsheets with a passion. In my mind it is the greatest application software ever created. There are so many things that you can do and it?s so easy to set your workbooks up. I have rejuvenated excitement when I teach the unit on spreadsheets and my students perform higher on this unit than any other.

 

Margaret stresses the importance of scaffolding the use of spreadsheets in math classes and I find that to be important with anything that you do, especially spreadsheets. In math, the students are working on the operations they need to know. Whereas, when I work on spreadsheets in my class I am expecting the students to have the math knowledge already. This is never the case. To get the students on the same level, we do math exercises to get the acclimated or reacclimated to using and writing formulas. I also spend time working on percents and teaching students how to write numbers. When a student sees ?5%? they have a very hard time converting from percents to decimals.

 

We currently spend about 3 weeks working on spreadsheets and during that time, we complete various assignments I hope the students will use in the future. We always work on budgeting and the students are not only given a chance to track their spending, but they can look at the percentages. How much are they spending on food? Clothing? Entertainment?

 

I have many visual learners so the charts help them visualize the information better. When you think about it, when you learn how to do percentages in elementary you begin by working with pictures- pies, and pizzas. My visual students have an ?Aaha!? moment when they create the graphs of the information they inputted.

 

By incorporating spreadsheets and other software programs into the curriculum, students are gaining access and knowledge to not only the material being presented in the curriculum, but reinforcing it with technology.

Posted at 01:47PM Nov 09, 2006 by MCCRAY, CATRICE in General  |  Comments[0]