Wiki Page, NETS-T # II

This page was about a tool that teachers can use called Easy Test Maker. This is a website where teachers can create tests and quizzes by just picking the type of question they want, and then inserting the questions and answers.

EdTech Profile, NETS-T #V

This lists my results after taking the test on the EdTech website. This test measures how much technology you use and how much is available to you as a teacher in your district and school.

Excel Crossword Puzzle. NETS-T #II

 


This is a crossword puzzle about me and some things that pertain to my life. It was created using Microsoft Excel and can be completed on the computer with the hints being revealed when you scroll over the points at the beginning of each word. When the correct answer is given, the word turns green. It can also be printed out and competed by hand.

Internet Safety, NETS-T #IV

JCCS Internet Safety

This artifact involved collaboration between six peers, each one taking a different lesson from the JCCS Wiki page. Each person performed at least one assignment from the lesson they chose, and included it in the GoogleDoc that was created for the whole group.

Public Service Announcement iMovie, NETS-T # III

This is a short movie addressing the problem of hate crimes in schools. It was created using the iMovie application and with footage taken at CSUSM.

Journal #9: Playing with Skype, NETS-T # I, V

Weller, T. (2010). Playing with skype. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25508&DirectListComboInd=


This article was very interesting as we have not discussed much about music education and technology. Through this videoconference-like program called Skype, young musicians can be connected in a "face-to-face" setting with composers of their music. Weller points out how the equipment is not too extreme, and may be what a school may have, as his did. I loved the part when Weller writes, "We are seeing a paradigm shift in education, where the teacher is no longer the absolute authority of knowledge in the classroom" I think that this is true and is a good thing. It gives students a more well-rounded education because multiple ideas are brought in and allows for the students world's to be expanded. The resources available like this one are numerous, and a good teacher should make the best use of them that they can.
How can Skype be used for a history class?
Weller notes that Skype can be used not only by music teachers, but by others in different fields. If I were a history teacher, I would want to try and maybe have some historians or museum staff who would be willing to speak with my students. It may even be possible for an older person who experienced something my students are studying to conference with us and offer insight on the subject. 
Would it be difficult to have professionals conference with a classroom?
I think that the answer is yes, because these people are busy and may not want to take time with high school students from a school they have never heard of. However, hearing the list of people this teacher had conference with his musicians is impressive, and shows that it can be done. Some of the people may have been contacts that he knew, but at the least I could maybe have some history professors that I have had who have written books talk for a short time with my students. The good thing is that the set up does not sound too hard, and it could happen for as short a time as necessary. Nevertheless, it would be valuable for the students as they could ask questions with a professional and maybe be inspired to continue with their education. 

Journal #8: Navigate the Digital Rapids, NETS-T, # IV, V

Lindsay, J, & Davis, V. (2010). Navigate the digital rapids. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3720092010/MarchAprilNo6/Navigate_the_Digital_Rapids.htm 

This article addresses how to implement technology and good citizenship standards as a teacher and not be afraid of technology. In particular, this article deals with what the authors call "flat classrooms," which are ways to connect students and other professionals together to discuss and learn. It gave some of the responsibilities teachers have when utilizing technology. They have to customize it to meet the needs and expectations of students. They have to make sure that the students are using the technology in a responsible way and for educational purposes, doing all this by example. Teachers need to overcome their fears about technology, but be prepared to answer questions about safety. As the authors point out, the internet has rules that need to followed, just like any other potential dangerous activity. As long as teachers do their job and instruct about safety, students will be be fine. Also with technology teachers can "Put the learning in the hands of the students" by giving the students responsibilities through practical application, like students having admin rights (Lindsay and Davis, 2010).
How can teachers deal with parents who have concerns about using technology so much in schools?
I think that teachers should always start off being aware of potential parent concerns and sensitive to them. Teachers can demonstrate material to parents and hand out information through newsletters or handouts about the perimeters of the assignments and technology being used. Giving parents information is key, especially about things like giving their kids admin rights, which may not sound the best, but if it is a well thought out plan then it can all be explained to the parents and they may be understanding.
How will schools and educators know when to make more technological changes in schools to keep up with the times?
The authors mention that soon colleges may "begin requesting hyperlinks for e-porfolios and other online work" (Lindsay and Davis, 2010). Though this is not happening yet, it could be in the near future and the authors are encouraging schools to look towards this type of development and prepare for it. I think that keeping up with research and information coming from colleges and sources such as ISTE will help educators stay aware of current issues. However, it will take insightful and forward-thinking educators to implement programs to prepare for changes before the changes occur. I hope to be this type of teacher, though I know I will probably not have very much influence until I have been teaching awhile. 

Journal #7: The Beginners Guide to Interactive Field trips, NETS-T # I, V

Zanetis, J. (2010). The Beginner's guide to interactive virtual field trips. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25443&DirectListComboInd=D

Before reading this article, I did not realize how many opportunities there are for interactive field trips. The author writes that there are about 300 different educational organizations that have this sort of program available for students. This is such a practical thing, and can be accomplished in real time or from already programmed "field trips." Every school has internet access, and Zanetis pointed out that many schools have the necessary videoconferencing equipment that can be used.

I like that the author pointed that these sort of projects cost money, but noted that "when compared to the cost of a real field trip, and considering the value students get out of them", it is not that bad of a payoff (Zanetis). Schools should implement these types of programs and see them as an investment. It keeps students engaged and opened to new insights while not breaking the school's bank. Zanetis points out how this type of project can be implemented in any classroom for different topics, so one subject doesn't have to dominate this technology in the school.

How could this be used in a high school social studies/history classroom?

I want to teach high school history and I know that many high school students may not be interested in doing a virtual field trip, especially if it seems geared towards younger students, which I imagine many are. However, I think if the students realize that this is a lot cooler than just listening to me lecture, I think that they will appreciate it and hopefully get something out of it. I think that if I chose interesting topics, such as sports and pop culture, the students will be more engaged and will still be learning about important, relevant topics.

What are the disadvantages of using these virtual field trips?

I think that though these are obviously great educational resources, they can cause people, especially younger students, to not appreciate actually going to places to visit. Museums and other historical sites will probably never actually become a “thing of the past,” but they can be visited less and less because of online exhibits and features on T.V and the internet. For those people for whom going to the Pyramids in Egypt is a near impossibility, going online and learning about them in an interactive way is the next best thing. However, the younger generation may grow to not appreciate the value of seeing things up close when they can access them online. Thus, I think that if I am a teacher, I would try to promote local educational opportunities in history, along with the interactive field trips, so that students can still experience history up close without it being too inconvenient.

Inspiration: NETS-T # I, III, IV, V

This is a collage of the some of the artifacts created in EDU422 and the NETS-T standards they meet are labeled by them, with two artifacts for each standard. There are also graphics to represent each assignment. 

Journal #6: Screencasting, NETS-T # III, V

Screencasting is the method of using tools such as podcasts or videos to present information. I read the thread titled, "Teacher's Use of Podcasts as a Teaching Tool!" This teacher had created "masterycasts" to help her students learn material.  She  recommended using Camtasia Studio to create podcasts, and said that thought it is not free, it is worth the money to get it. I was interested in one teacher's use of podcasting to study the Titanic, because I want to be a history teacher. She had her students pretend to be passengers and crew members and podcast about it. This uses technology in a fun and interesting way, and which engages students with a unique assignment.
The second thread I followed was titled, "Free Editing Tools That Work Well with Screencasting Captures?" I am not familiar at all with creating videos so I was interested to see what's available. This teacher was loking for help in finding tools that can create videos with multiple features and that has better quality than Windows Movie Maker. Some recomendations were Jing and Screentoaster, but the teacher who started the thread said that both of these did not have the editing capabilities he desired. Someone recomended Microsoft Producer which works with Microsoft PowerPoint, and the teacher was going to try it, but he never wrote back to say if it worked well or not. I think making movies for students is a great idea and I would definitely look into this Producer because it is free. I wouldn't be as worried about how many features it has because I would jut want to create basic videos to present information in a visual way for my students to make learning more fun.

NETS Powerpoint, NETS-T #III

NETS Presentation
This is a Powerpoint Presentation teaching about the NET-Student standards and different assignments that could be used to meet those standards. There were graphics for each slide, and one assignment for each standard.

NETS Collaborative Rubric, NETS-T #II




This rubric was created to grade our class peers's NETS-S Powerpoints. It has categories from full credit to minimal credit, and each category has specific requirements that must be met to receive the points for that category.

Journal #4: Finding Students who Learn with Media, NETS-T # I, V

Bull, G. (2010). Finding students who learn with media. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(5),
    Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?
 Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25255&DirectListCom
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Again, this article was interesting because it dealt with a project applicable for a social studies classroom, which is where I want to be a teacher. What I particularly found interesting was that the writers point out how different students respond to technology, and how some are more interested in the technology than the content, and others are more interested in the content than using the technology. I think that sometimes new technology can seem great, but actually not reach every student. Sometimes these technological assignments turn out to not teach as much as they seem like they would. The writers point out though, that "an application such as PrimaryAccess can automatically collect information about a child's performance...This, in turn, can provide the teacher with information that may allow her or him to differentiate instruction earlier."This would be helpful when using a web based program or other more detailed electronic project, to see if the students are really understanding the material.
How can I use a program that doesn't measure student progress?
I think that taking a survey before using the program about what the students already know about technology and the program we are going to use can show me how to help them or put them in groups so that each student's abilities can help the group. I would also explain about the material so that students do not have to research it all on their own, and even give a test before so that I know if they are understanding the basics of the content. Through these tests, I will be able to evaluate if a student will focus too much on either content or technology, and help to mold the project structure so they get a balance of both.
How can I monitor that my class is completing the work and not wasting time just playing with the online tools?
I would organize the project so that I could follow students' progress online and make sure they are not getting stuck or not working on the assignment. I would have them finish parts of the project spread out through a certain amount of time, so that they can work on it in stages. Then they will not be overwhelmed or having to do sloppy work because they waited until the last minute.

Journal #3: Keeping the Peace, NETS-T # IV, V

Levinson, M. (2010). Keeping the peace. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(5), Retrieved from
    http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?
 Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25237&DirectListCom
    boInd=D


This article describes a school where the use of technology created a war of opposing views about the use of this new technology. The culprit was instant messaging on school-issued laptops. It was interesting to read that some parents saw the situation as "the school had made a decision for the home, and they were given no choice in the matter." This was a tricky situation as the laptops could be taken home, which brought school policy into the home. I have known about problems with technology and different views of parents. However, I think that these parents have a point: technology is something where people have very different views, and educators need to approach this as they would other controversial topics. However, parents need to know that just like other controversial topics, sometimes they come up in school, and technology is becoming the way of the future. I think the school did the right thing in blocking the iChat, but also creating an IM to use at school, and creating a "boot camp" for kids to learn about the proper ways of having a laptop.

How would I deal with parents who disagree with my use of technology in my classroom?

I know that this may happen, along with parents having issues with other aspects of my classes. However, I think that I will have to take into consideration their views, as they are the parents and need to have a say in their kids’ education. Thus, I will inform parents of projects that involve technology, and give information that parents may want to know. If I want to use a website where kids have to register, I will get parental permission first. I think that if my school did what the Nueva School featured in the article did with having a laptop program, I would want clear regulations about what kids can use on the laptops at school, as it is easy for students to use social networking programs instead of focusing on work. However, I think that there should be a place for the social networking, and that this should be monitored, and left mainly up to the parent to decide. 

Is it possible to use social networking for school purposes?

I think that a way to incorporate social networking into school would be through using things like iChat, Facebook, and Twitter for students to do work through. They may have to ask a question of their classmate and then show me that they did this. Thus, they can get the desire to be on these sites out of their system during class, but use them in positive, educational ways. Maybe using Twitter for discussions as a part of homework would be good, and it would be something that I could monitor as well. However, I would need to make sure this was alright with parents, and that the students were allowed to get a Twitter account. If some were not allowed, I would not do this assignment. 

Journal #2: Using Podcasts to Develop a Global Perspective, NETS-T # II, V

Maguth, B.M, & Elliott, J. (2010). Using Podcasts to develop a global perspective. Learning and Leading with
  Technology, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?
 Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25244&DirectListCom
  boInd=D


This article was very interesting as I want to be a history/social studies teacher, and it was under this subject category. I liked the assignment that this school gave to their students about researching a current problem, as through this students can practice researching and lean about a contemporary issue while also looking at its place in history. This keeps the learning material relevant and practical. The students in the article had the opportunity to work with software that is technologically advanced and can give them skills that they can take into the job force and for themselves personally (such as editing and adding music to their podcasts). The end of the project was rewarding as well, because the students had their works put online. This gave them more motivation to work hard (which is always a good thing for teachers). The article sums it up great when the author writes,  "The assignment was an authentic learning experience in that it allowed students to showcase a degree of depth on an important global issue, led them to be well informed on multiple perspectives, and gave them a chance to discuss current global issues." This is something to strive for as a teacher, and it is great to have good examples of projects that I could incorporate into my lessons.
How can I incorporate technology into my teaching if I am not that technologically savvy?
I think that there are seminars for teachers to instruct them in new technological equipment and programs. I am not personally familiar with podcasting, and I would definitely need assistance and a tutorial in order to understand this program. I would hope that maybe there would be sort of an IT guy at the school who could help me out and maybe do a lecture for my class on using the software. If there was no one to do this, I would just have to become very familiar with the program to be able to teach it, and this would take some time on my part, as well as me actually making one of my own as an example.
Besides researching current issues, what other type of assignment would be creative and useful for a social studies class?
I think a good project besides current issues would be to have each student take a subject that they are interested in, based on a group of broad categories such as art/music, sports, history, a country, etc and research their specific subject and create a podcast. This would be a project to fit their interests, but show them that social studies can cover broad subjects within it which are relevant to their lives. There would be more specifics for the project, so that they can get a multicultural experience and go deep into a subject. This would hopefully be fun and engaging for them, and be a unique project that is different from just writing a paper or creating a poster board.

Journal #1: Computing in the Clouds, NETS-T # III, V

Johnson, D. (2009). Computing in the clouds. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(4), Retrieved from
 http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3720092010/DecemberJanuary
 No4/Computing_in_the_Clouds.htm

This article was interesting because it covers the majority of programs and technology we have been covering in class. From Google Docs to Picasa to Delicious, this writer mentioned resources and tools that we have been learning about, and his article helped me to understand the beauty of these programs. I was a bit overwhelmed about using all these new things, but the fact that they are free and offer great services was enticing. Now that I realize how they all can be used without a large computer and from anywhere by just utilizing the internet, I see how beneficial they are. Computers can crash and information can be lost, so relying on internet resources is smart. As I was reading this, I thought of some possible problems, but Johnson addressed them. He writes that "Google does not share your data.. Google will remove your data when you ask." This is always a concern with the public nature of the internet, but apparently, Google has a good record and tries to maintain ethical principles. In addition, I was wondering why all these programs are free. Johnson cleared up this question by writing that, "Profits now come from advertisements and selling more fully featured versions of applications or larger storage spaces." 

This seems great, but is it a good idea for kids to be signing up for these resources and having to memorize usernames and passwords? Won’t this encourage them to offer information to sites that may not be legitimate?

I think that though old-style ways of learning are great, unfortunately technologically advanced methods are becoming the norm, and the internet is one tool with which it is almost impossible to live without. Thus, students need to be able to utilize it and know about safe practices. Maybe as a teacher, I can have students write down their passwords in a safe place at school, and then they can carry a sheet with them all written down in their notebooks for when they go home. 

As a history teacher which of these tools will be most applicable?

I think that introducing my students to Google Docs will be important as they will be writing papers, and they can work on them in class or just at school because they will be using this internet tool. I will definitely be using Delicious as a way for them to find great educational internet resources in one place. I could use Lit Trip or the Learning Games for Change for them to work on something without me having to write down the link for them. 

Classroom Newsletter, NETS-T #III

NewsletterHT

Using Microsoft Word, I created this newsletter for a hypothetical High School History Classroom. It addresses the technology that would be used for the classroom and utilized by the students, as well as give information about why history is important, and serves as a welcome to the students to start the school year off.

Social Bookmarking (Delicious.com), NETS-T #III

#1: I looked at the Charters of Freedom and as a primary source it is very valuable. This website allows you to view the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, and it provides information about the documents and their writers. The website offers high resolution images, which can bring the experience of being at the National Archives to you. For students to just learn about things like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence from a book is boring and does not bring the importance of the documents to life. To study and look at them themselves, students can get a better historical perspective and will feel that they are experiencing what they are studying. I would use the National Archives online in my classroom as a history teacher as it would take advantage of a free website which utilizes technology and provides an interactive experience. There were several "exhibits" and it brings a museum field-trip to the classroom without leaving. 

# 2: Student Groups Experiencing Achievement Gaps : Racial and ethnic minorities, English language learners, Students with disabilities, boys/girls, students from low-income families. From the "Becoming a Culturally Competent Educator" section I found three areas that fit my personalty that I could possibly implement.  I am really interested in other cultures and learning and teaching about them, so the idea of "gather[ing] and organiz[ing] resource materials related to culturally diverse groups for us by school staff" is something that I would find interesting and fun. I think that many times schools only use superficial resources to discuss and teach about different cultures. I think that what this website is suggesting is that educators find meaningful things that can serve as visual and interactive components of multicultural eduction that really help students to understand other cultures. Another idea I liked was about "build[ing] and us[ing] a network of 'natural helpers' at school and in the community." This sounds like an awesome idea because it can take underrepresented students and make them teachers for their peers about something they know best. Instead of having a teacher lecture or even show things from a culture, students from different cultures can share and help others to be open about differences and to embrace them. The third area I liked was the one which said to "Network with other schools that are developing and implementing culturally competent systems. Adapt the processes and information that are consistent with your school's needs and interests." I like collaboration as it takes the pressure off of having to create all sorts of great ideas. Looking to other schools at times can be beneficial and create community among educators. Finding great ideas and adapting them to meet your needs is a great example of being a life-long learner. 

#3: I took the quiz for the 14-17 age range, and my result was "cyber saint." I do not write mean things on people's walls and I only use the internet for fun or educational purposes. I found the section about "The Power-hungry and Revenge of the Nerds" interesting, as I have knwon people who are quiet or have a hard time making friends use the internet to communicate more than they would with people in person. I know for myself, I find it easier sometiemes to communicate with people online then in person, but I don't turn to the internet to create a new person, as it seems that some people do. As the section says, "It is their intention to frighten or embarrass their victims. And they are empowered by the anonymity of the Internet and digital communications and the fact that they never have to confront their victim. They may act tough online, but are not tough in real life." Thus, the internet becomes a real problem for people who want to create a better version of themselves and get revenge for injustices done to them. In my classroom, I could use this information to help tackle bullying in "real life." I could show how students who are picked on can turn around and use the internet to pick on their bullies. It is a bad cycle for which there are examples of people being seriously hurt by cyberbullying. Those who feel empowered by bullying can see the effect they can have and how they can get hurt themselves. 

#4: I went to a site under the History/Social studies subject area which is from the University of Indiana. I went to the Content Area: Geography and Culture and it had a few useful websites that had educational information. However, many of the links did not work as the websites had moved or were no longer available. One interesting website I found when I went back to the main History page was the dMarie Time Capsule website, where you could type a date and find information about that year. This would be good for a research project where students can look up dates we are studying. Since I want to be a history teacher, it will be very helpful to use the website to bring history alive and to provide an interactive element to my teaching. Another website was Archiving Early America, which appeared to have some good resources for teaching different periods of the Colonial era of American history. 

#5: My top 3 learning styles from taking the test are: 1)Verbal-Linguistic (100%), 2) Intrapersonal (94%), and 3) Musical (941%). I watched the video called "Multiple Intelligences Thrive in Smartville." This features an Elementary school in Georgia which bases its curriculum on the idea that there are different ways of learning, which is what the test I took determines which one I am. I did not know that there are these many different ways to learn, and that there is a school which uses unique methods based on tests the students take to have individualized plans of education. I think this is an awesome idea and allows students a great opportunity to learn the best way for them personally, instead of just going through the standard "one-size-fits-all" method that is in every school.

#6: I chose grades 6th-8th Social Studies and the article was titled "A Historical Primer On Economic (In)Equality". This offers "Discussion and Writing Prompts" which would be very helpful as I want to have my students write and discuss challenging topics, and this will give me ideas to have them write informal in-class paragraphs, or even small papers on. This lesson discusses poverty in America, and will be a good tool to deal with issues of social justice and multiculturalism in America. Some of the topics that were brought up as "Research Topics" dealt with economic inequality and were related to Native Americans, immigrants, the disabled, and labor unions. All of these topics fit well with Social Studies, as the subject is not just the study of history, but applying history to understand and make a difference in the present and future. 

#7: I found the question about the amount of powder cocaine and crack cocaine it takes to get convicted of possession interesting because the wealthy tend to use powder cocaine and it takes alot more of it to be convicted. This shows an injustice in the legal system which has a disadvantage for the poor. Another question that I found interesting was the one which gave statistics about African Americans arrested for drug use compared with the actual percentage of African Americans who are drug users. There was a discrepancy which again points to injustices in the legal system pitted against African Americans that is based on the stereotype that a large number of African Americans are drug users. 

#8: I took the Netiquette Quiz and I missed 1 out of 10 as I missed the question about what a "flame" is. Netiquette is important to teach because now that this next generation is growing up with the computer already being a daily part of life, they need to know that it and the internet are not just toys that can be used however they want. There are rules that should be followed to keep the internet clean and used for wholesome and responsible purposes. B:-)

Hannah's Intro

Hi! I'm Hannah, I live in Temecula, and I was actually homeschooled. I took classes through a private school and so I was able to get involved, especially in high school with prom, and football games, and plays, etc. I started off college going to Cal Baptist University in Riverside, but because it was a private school and really expensive, I transfered here to San Marcos for my junior year, and am graduating this spring with my degree in history.

I am a Mac. All the way. I got a laptop when I started college and it's still going strong. I am not too technologically savvy, but I can do basic things and I use my computer every day. I have Microsoft Office 07, I think... I can do basic powerpoint, but I don't know anything about excel or spreadsheets or anything like that. Even my cell phone is pretty basic, and I don't have too many other electronics besides my iPod (which I also love:)

As far as the mission statement goes, I really liked the last line about "student-centered education, diversity, collaboration, professionalism." I think that too often teachers are set on what they think students need to learn, instead of actively understanding their students and seeing where they come from and how much they already know. I want to create an environment of learning that works best for each group of students I have, and which draws on their abilities and is relevant to their lives. I like that in the teaching field, collaboration is important. My older sister is a teacher, and she has said that one of the great things about teaching is how teachers help other teachers to be better and implement different practices. I also like that the mission statement acknowledges that there should be professionalism in teaching. In my first day of EDU 350, our teacher brought up the question of whether or not teachers are professionals, and how some people don't think so. I would hope that teaching is seen as something that takes hard work and dedication, just like someone going through medical or law school needs to finish. I was not familiar with the mission statement before starting the pre-req classes, but I definitely like it and am excited to be a part of the credential program in the Fall!