Response to Computer Delusion

I'm sure there is a lot of truth in what was said in this article. I also think that is is very negative when it comes to the importance of children using computers. I think that programs in music, shop, art etc. should not be eliminated in favor of expanding technology. There is a place for all these programs in schools. Computer instruction is very important for children. Noone can deny that children need these skills to survive in the world of their future. If they want to make a decent living, they need to have these skills. I think that the key to using technology in schools is to plan purchases with input from teachers and principals. It is also very important that some of that money be spent on ongoing professional development for teachers and support when they want to use the equipment. It's important that there be computer teachers and technical personnel on staff to help teachers integrate technology into their lessons.

Value Added for the uses of Technology

It goes without saying that every choice we as educators make, when adding technology to our lessons, has to add value to the lesson. There are so many resources we can choose, they need to be relevant to the lesson. Just like we were always admonished about giving our students busy work, we should not just use technology because we are expected to. We need to take the time to come up with the right resource or project that will enhance our lessons. That is why media specialists and computer teachers are so important to have on the staff of a school. It's also important for teachers to have time to get together and bounce their ideas off each other and learn from each other and enjoy a little support.

Digital Divide

There is so much inequality in this country, such a wide gap between the haves and have nots. There are still a lot of families in this country that do not own a computer. I know most teachers expect assignments to be typed instead of written. This would be hard for children who do not own a computer. Thank goodness most libraries are equipped with lots of computers. If teachers start incorporating the use of the Internet into their teaching, as far as accessing articles to be used for homework or the use of Internet sites to complement a homework assignment given in class, the student who does not have ready access to the Internet would be at a disadvantage. We need to address so many issues in this country before we can expect technology to be integrated fully into our schools.

Non-Linear PowerPoint

I think there are endless uses for PowerPoint in the classroom. I happen to really like using it as a presentation tool when I am introducing an application in my computer lab. I think the format of Jeopardy etc. is a very effectively tool to use with a class. The students get very excited when you use these types of tools. In the past the teachers I have worked with have used premade PowerPoints they found on the Internet for subjects such as the Metric System and the Revolutionary war. The only problem that arises is that the students and teachers want to keep playing when the class ends! It is a very effective tool to be used with the Smart Board. The game show format really appeals to the students because that is what excites them, not boring lectures.

This is my Photoshop Project. I have finally managed to put my girls at the beach together - the next best thing to being there!

Reflections on Touch Screen Table

I thought that there were many similiarities to the Smart Board in the Touch Screen Table as far as the interactivity. I'm not quite sure though how you would use it with a class full of children. If you could afford to have one for every two children in the class and paired up the students, I think there would be endless possibilities of how to use it.

Reflections on Class thus far

I feel much more comfortable creating webpages now than I did last week. I have a better understanding of Photoshop and look forward to using it on my digital photographs. I'm a little concerned about finishing all this work by next Thursday. All of this information and work will be very handy to reference for the future. The copyright articles were a little bit hard to read through. Jen has been very helpful.

Wiki

I really like del.icio.us. I wish I knew about it last year so that I could use it in school. I was constantly looking up sites for the teachers in my school when they would make requests as to what they wanted to do. I wrote them all down and had notes everywhere. It would have been nice to have access to this tool.
I have used Rubistar many times to help my teachers to create rubrics quickly for projects in their class. I think it is a great utility. It really makes the teacher's job easier.
I also liked LetterPop. I know of many teachers who make it a point of communicating to parents all the time. To have a quick template that can make this task easier is a great idea.

Copyright Issues

Educators have a lot to think about when it comes to copyright issues. They need to stay on top of the changes to the laws. They need to explain them to their students and try to be sure that their students follow them. There is so much to think about because their students are so used to finding what they want to use, whether it be music or images, and using them in their projects and presentations. They need to understand what they can and cannot use and why. They also need to be instructed in how to properly cite their references and give credit where credit is due.

Historical Thinking

I think historical thinking is a good may of teaching history. I think students will get a better understanding of history if it is presented this way as opposed to the traditional way of memorizing dates and times. I think history would be easier for students to comprehend if events were presented in context with other events going on during that time period. My understanding is that historical thinking involves the teaching of events that have occurred in a block of time in the form of students discussions and interpretations of these events. When the material becomes more real to the students, they will be more interested in learning more and will be able to carry their knowledge with them to the next class level.

Inquiry Based Learning

In some respects I have used inquiry-based learning in my computer lab. My fourth graders did a unit on Space. We used a software program called "Field Trip to the Sky". The students were given a series of questions to answer based on information found on the CD. They then used data found on the CD to create Graphs in Excel comparing the distances of planets to the sun. There are also many videos that can be viewed on this site. I did a similar lesson with my fifth grade students but the topic was rocks using "Field Trip to the Earth". After answering questions about Earth, students were asked to write a paragraph in Word about the three types of rocks. My seventh grade class created an Inspiration concept map based on different aspects of "Johnny Tremain" that they were reading in their Language Arts class.
Many of my teachers used Inquiry-based learning in their classrooms this year. In the teaching of many different subjects, the teachers use a combination of Interactive software with the Smart Board, Internet websites and software. The teachers find that the students end up with a better understanding of the subject matter when they use many different medias to teach the subject.

Chapter 3 Concept Map

MP3 article

Reaction to the MP3 article:

I think the idea of using MP3 players makes more sense for older students, especially high school and college. I think the idea of using it to learn a foreign language is a great one, especially because it helps to hear the words and phrases used over and over again. I do see the problem, however, when using it for younger students, especially when it comes to listening to books on tape. The students still need to read books, books should not be eliminated. This would be wonderful, however, for those students who have trouble reading and are able to comprehend better when it is read to them.

Reaction to Digital Video

After viewing the Digital Age video on youtube;
I was interested to see how easy it is to add text and graphics to a webpage with HTML. I understand the concept because I used to create documentation with the SCRIPT language 27 years ago.
I too agree with everyone that it is hard to keep up with all the new advances in technology that happen every day.

Standard

I have chosen a Technology Standard.

Discipline Learning Resources & Information Technology
Grade Level: Grades 5-8

Responsible Information Use
Content Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the responsible and legal use of information resources, computers and other technologies, recognizing the attendant social, economic and ethical issues.
	a. demonstrate competency in previously identified performance standards
	b. observe, in all original work, the ethical restraints imposed by copyright on using and transmitting information
	c. observe educational "fair use" guidelines for all types of protected materials
	d. differentiate among various types of ownership or protection of intellectual property (e.g., copyright, patents)
	e. demonstrate responsible and ethical use of hardware and networks

First Class

In our first class we learned about Delicious. I think this is a great tool. I am looking forward to using it often. This is the fourth Educational Technology class that I have taken in the last ten months. Needless to say, I have come across many sites that have been very useful in my classes at Fairfield University and in the computer classes that I taught at St. Peter school. We also learned about Wikis and explored our class wiki.