Teacher Interview

1. My favorite tools are my computer and the document camera.
2. My biggest frustration is the lack of time to learn how to use
equipment, etc., have time to figure out how resources can help me
and then to become proficient enough that my time isn't being wasted,
as well as instructional time for children.
3. The biggest misconception is that teachers have time to learn,
explore all the tools . In reality it takes a lot of time to learn a
tool, explore a tool such as the internet such to figure out what is
usable and what is not. All of this has to be done on our own time.
4. My hurdles are the same as my frustrations. I do want to learn, I
just can't find the time to do it.
5. My biggest success was being able to use a document camera without
needing much assistance!
6. I am inspired by watching other people use the equipment, etc. I
learn a lot by watching others.
7. I see technology use growing in the future because we have a
generation of kids becoming more comfortable with all parts of
technology. They will probably be leading us to use it more!

-This is from a teacher Riverbend Elementary School in a second grade class.

Teacher Interview

So, I don't quite have the interview questions yet! However, I heard the gist of their thought process and what they were thinking. One of the main points she was telling me is that the biggest problem with technology (for users who have NOT had much experience) is having the time to LEARN about it. She is new to using technology, and the one thing she has and likes is the document camera. She admitted she may like to learn other things, but she just doesn't have the time to learn with her behavioral issue students, being a mother of three, and budget cuts and crazy weird schedules because of it, she just doesn't have time to learn new technology.

Blogs critiqued

http://www.thereadingworkshop.com/2010/01/connect-with-your-book.html

This blog is "The Reading Workshop" and from the few posts I read, this looks to be a blog for parents and students. Which I find intriguing. But what I found most interesting was on How To Read Poetry she listed the poem, and then asked a few questions afterwards. I found this cool especially because the students could potentially answer the questions right there!

http://printables4kids.com/car-color-by-number-mosaic/

This is so awesome! It's a page just meant for activity sheets for kids! Like Color by numbers! Not quite blog material, but it's definitely necessary and could be useful!

http://www.postrank.com/feed/b9cdbcc8f67ab8e9d114efe5f1c64c85

This looks fairly cool. They give you different things with animals. So you could find new interesting way to teach kids about animals.

Slide.Com

Here's is the slide.com School Rules slide!

http://www.slide.com/mscd?bnc=bnc&pxcid=UYyTXOnxxJyUN9X4hLrrkZWMJi-nsCibBy5EfoUuNnvNtMgwJ-ZszMQ8uBqgdw6B&nc=1

1/20/2010 Later...

Criteria for evaluating blogs:

-Easy to read

-Concise information

-If blogging about a specific topic, especially if it may be an unknown or unpopular topic, include brief background information

-Professional language (i.e., you're an fool you idiot homie g dawg. LAWL.)

-Have a clear audience (and format your blog accordingly).

Evaluations of Blogs:

SOON TO COME.

Here's my storybird...

My Hot Air Balloon Adventure! by jensenperdue on Storybird

21st Century Educator

What I mainly got from the 21st century educator was that you have to be open to new things; new methods of learning, of teaching, new technologies (and be prepared if those technologies fail), creativity to use with those technologies etc. I think involving new technology would be a great idea because you could DO so many things.

1/20/2010

I love Jing. I've used it a few different times, and it's just so useful. And it's even cooler because it's free. My brother-in-law is big with computers and he knew about a program like Jing, but it was apparently WAY expensive. And now he can use Jing. :)

Technology Natives

This is my 'toon about past technology immigrants, present technology immigrants, and our technology natives of today (whom I'm sure will save the World... :D )

I jing'd! Technology of the future! SMART Boards will be the new chalkboard. No more paper. Document cameras everywhere! iPod touches will be in the palms of every student.

Homework reflection blog! 1/10

Okay. So there's a ton of stuff we need to blog about for homework! So let's start that. :D

First off, technology I have used from K-12. I didn't really use technology until middle school. I briefly used internet (I think) in elementary school for research projects, but to the extent of Microsoft Word and Google. In middle school, I think it was still just using Word and Google, however now we can throw in PowerPoint for slide shows and different types of typing programs for my keyboarding class. Throughout high school is where I started using different programs. One of the biggest programs I used was InDesign. I was on the school newspaper faculty and we used InDesign to make the news paper. Yet we still had to use Google, Word, and other things. And for other classes I still used PowerPoint and Excel.

Alright, somehow I have to figure out how to add my excel spreadsheet for the digital storytelling research! I might just copy and paste...

Digital storytelling is a good way to link pictures and videos and sound to plan presentations and show themes in an interesting and up-to-date way.

You can plan projects for kids and show examples and how to do it on video. You can plan presentations for business meetings, parent meetings, and in classrooms.

For the age group that I would like to work with, I would like to take pictures for them of the kids measuring themselves and maybe holding up the number of how tall they are. And at the end of the year I can take the pictures again and we can compare how much they have grown. This is a fun way to incorporate math! But I would have to take pictures for them and put the video together.

Planning different types of activities for different age groups could be a challenge. Also deciding what part of the project we would have to do could be challenging as well. Also if there is any sort of technological aspect kids would have to do at home, not everyone may have the resources.

We would have to make sure they either have access to photos and videos and music online, or they have access to technology that can give them those things (e.g. cameras with picture and video, computers, and music).

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/
http://www.storycenter.org/stories/
http://www.edutopia.org/use-digital-storytelling-classroom
http://teachingteachers.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_storytelling
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/
Let's see how that works...

Day 1 Reflection Blog

omment about using technology in the classroom, your expectations, your first day observations.

I feel like using technology used in the classroom could be used to MUCH of your advantage. It opens the doors for many different things. You can use some many different things online, and so many different technologies.

I hope to be able to figure out so many different ways to create different plans and activities and presentations.

My first day observations are that I think this class is going to be very interesting. I was a little apprehensive about the four hour long class in the evening. But with our very energetic teacher (not a bad thing!!) I think i'll be able to stay awake and (mainly) engaged throughout the whole class! And it seems like there are going to be interesting activities to do as well!

This was not a very interesting blog... but hey, it's the assignment! Not my fault! :D

Day 1