Journal 10
More States, Vendors Ally with Partnership for 21st Century Skills
by Dave Nagel
This article talks about the joining of the state of Iowa with the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and the expectation that more states will soon follow. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills consists of a combination of business and education groups focused on technology education and bringing technology into classroom instruction. The goal of the group is to provide skills-focused learning, information/tools for educators, and to jump-start classrooms to be prepared to teach students the skills they need to succeed in the real world of the 21st century.
The group wants to “reinvigorate learning” and change what educators are able to do and the experiences that students can have in the classroom. The move is part of a two-year initiative to focus on bringing 21st century skills into schools in subjects such as financial and technology literacy, employability skills, and civic and health literacy. Other members include Maine (my home state), Massachusetts, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
I think this initiative is exciting, necessary, and long overdue. It is great to see certain states setting the priority and making plans to give students the updated tools and skills they will need to be successful citizens and life-long learners. Also, this initiative is especially beneficial for struggling learners who need more interaction and visual stimulus and students who are English learners and may not have the same educational background as native speakers. As a future teacher, I hope to be able to be a part of such a movement and think even us adults could use a refresher course on these areas.
Although an initiative like this is both time consuming and expensive, I think if we all keep the students best interests in mind and never lose sight of that, that we can all work together and find a way for states across the U.S. to become active participants.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Journal 9: HP Debuts Mini Notebooks for Schools
Journal 9
HP Debuts Mini Notebooks for Schools
Dave Nagel
This article discussed the introduction of an HP Mini Notebook for students. The computer is geared towards school and home use and is built to meet the needs of the young learner. The Mini-Notes weigh just above 2.5 pounds (light enough for any student to carry) and cost just below $500.00. The development of this product grew largely out of the belief that education should not end at the bell. With the increased presence of technology in the classroom, it is crucial for students to have time outside of school to learn about and practice their skills related to educational technology. The more students are exposed to it, the more internet savvy they will get.
The features of the HP Mini Notebook are realistic, useful, and student friendly. Some of these include a scratch-resistant display and full keyboard with a protective coat to prevent wear. Students and parents can choose from four different configuration options. Other features such as wired/wireless connectivity with Bluetooth option, 2.1 megapixel camera, motion sensor for shutting down computer in case of an accident (such as dropping the computer), graphics, integrated speaker and microphone, and more make the Mini-Note a great tool for students.
This model is expected to come out sometime in April or May and I am sure will change the way students, teachers, and parents feel about the importance of students having access to their own computers at home.
I think this product will greatly help students become learners, researchers, and life-long explorers. In today’s technology world we need to give our students as much opportunity and information as possible and this product is another step towards that.
HP Debuts Mini Notebooks for Schools
Dave Nagel
This article discussed the introduction of an HP Mini Notebook for students. The computer is geared towards school and home use and is built to meet the needs of the young learner. The Mini-Notes weigh just above 2.5 pounds (light enough for any student to carry) and cost just below $500.00. The development of this product grew largely out of the belief that education should not end at the bell. With the increased presence of technology in the classroom, it is crucial for students to have time outside of school to learn about and practice their skills related to educational technology. The more students are exposed to it, the more internet savvy they will get.
The features of the HP Mini Notebook are realistic, useful, and student friendly. Some of these include a scratch-resistant display and full keyboard with a protective coat to prevent wear. Students and parents can choose from four different configuration options. Other features such as wired/wireless connectivity with Bluetooth option, 2.1 megapixel camera, motion sensor for shutting down computer in case of an accident (such as dropping the computer), graphics, integrated speaker and microphone, and more make the Mini-Note a great tool for students.
This model is expected to come out sometime in April or May and I am sure will change the way students, teachers, and parents feel about the importance of students having access to their own computers at home.
I think this product will greatly help students become learners, researchers, and life-long explorers. In today’s technology world we need to give our students as much opportunity and information as possible and this product is another step towards that.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Journal 8: Free Science Resources Online
Journal 8
Spotlight: Free Science Resources Online
by Dave Nagel
This article highlighted a number of free online resources designed to actively engage and inform students about the wonders of Science. One of the first resources was called MIT OpenCourseWare where students can access videos, pictures, lectures, and syllabi from actual MIT Courses. This is a place where real life and learning meet in a virtual environment. It is accessible by all students though it is geared toward post-secondary students. This is great because it gives students the opportunity to experience (as close as possible) a real MIT education no matter where they live or their economic status.
Another resource was NASA Education that can be used by students, teachers, or simply people interested in learning more about Space Science. Like the MIT resource, this one includes videos, animations, and simulations. It also includes game trivia, educational information, and links to relevant websites. For younger students, a picture dictionary is available. This site is great because it accommodates a variety of age and learning levels and goes beyond the classroom for project based learning and future applications.
The Smithsonian Institution aligns materials to state and national standards and can be searched by state, grade, and subject. Subjects include Earth Science, Air and Space, and even outside areas such as Language Arts, Art, and Literature. This site is helpful to teachers when planning instruction, interdisciplinary instruction, or developing major projects.
All of these resources help students better connect with Science and have fun while learning. It is important that students know how to use the technology available to them if they are going to succeed in the real world. For many struggling learners or those who are not interested in Science, all they need are ways in which to see the subject active and connected to the real word and then they can see its value and importance. I am excited to bring sources like this into my classroom someday and hope more and more students can get their hands on them in the meantime.
Spotlight: Free Science Resources Online
by Dave Nagel
This article highlighted a number of free online resources designed to actively engage and inform students about the wonders of Science. One of the first resources was called MIT OpenCourseWare where students can access videos, pictures, lectures, and syllabi from actual MIT Courses. This is a place where real life and learning meet in a virtual environment. It is accessible by all students though it is geared toward post-secondary students. This is great because it gives students the opportunity to experience (as close as possible) a real MIT education no matter where they live or their economic status.
Another resource was NASA Education that can be used by students, teachers, or simply people interested in learning more about Space Science. Like the MIT resource, this one includes videos, animations, and simulations. It also includes game trivia, educational information, and links to relevant websites. For younger students, a picture dictionary is available. This site is great because it accommodates a variety of age and learning levels and goes beyond the classroom for project based learning and future applications.
The Smithsonian Institution aligns materials to state and national standards and can be searched by state, grade, and subject. Subjects include Earth Science, Air and Space, and even outside areas such as Language Arts, Art, and Literature. This site is helpful to teachers when planning instruction, interdisciplinary instruction, or developing major projects.
All of these resources help students better connect with Science and have fun while learning. It is important that students know how to use the technology available to them if they are going to succeed in the real world. For many struggling learners or those who are not interested in Science, all they need are ways in which to see the subject active and connected to the real word and then they can see its value and importance. I am excited to bring sources like this into my classroom someday and hope more and more students can get their hands on them in the meantime.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Journal 7: Classroom 2.0-Blogging
Journal 7
Blogging
The tool I chose from Classroom 2.0 that interested me was blogging. A blog is an online journal so blogging can be defined as writing in one’s blog. It creates an environment where thoughts and information can be shared amongst classmates, peers, coworkers, and member of a community.
From the tool discussions, I learned that there are many different software programs for blogging, each with different pros and cons. Some of these include price, user-friendliness, and amount of features. I never knew there were so many different choices. Also, people discussed different blog programs for use at various grade levels, including elementary students. There are innumerous benefits the most obvious being the exposure to technology. Other benefits include the creation of virtual communities, sharing of information, and construction of knowledge outside of the textbook/lecture format. Some issues that were brought up with blog use include span and regulating information shown to students. Many teachers and other professional are using blogs amongst themselves to share new technology, content information, and tips for improving instruction in today’s classroom. Blogging has shown to be an excellent format for continual learning and reaching out to others. Blogs are being used in school at all levels to connect teacher and students in a virtual classroom where more and more can be done (and learned) every day. Here students can practice writing, reading, and comprehension skills such as pulling out main ideas and summarizing (when referring to lesson/unit material). Also, students at all different proficiency and academic levels can benefit from a blog. Because it is all inclusive, everyone can participate. Advanced students can be challenged with all the available technology components and struggling students can practice basic skills, get feedback from others, and learn from classmates.
Blogging, believe it or not, is relatively new to me and I never realized all the educational applications that are possible. After researching and reading the discussions on this topic, I think all students should be exposed to blogging at some point in their school lives. Of course differentiation is required to meet the ability levels of the students, but this is both easy and reasonable to do. I am excited to use blogging in my classroom in the future.
Blogging
The tool I chose from Classroom 2.0 that interested me was blogging. A blog is an online journal so blogging can be defined as writing in one’s blog. It creates an environment where thoughts and information can be shared amongst classmates, peers, coworkers, and member of a community.
From the tool discussions, I learned that there are many different software programs for blogging, each with different pros and cons. Some of these include price, user-friendliness, and amount of features. I never knew there were so many different choices. Also, people discussed different blog programs for use at various grade levels, including elementary students. There are innumerous benefits the most obvious being the exposure to technology. Other benefits include the creation of virtual communities, sharing of information, and construction of knowledge outside of the textbook/lecture format. Some issues that were brought up with blog use include span and regulating information shown to students. Many teachers and other professional are using blogs amongst themselves to share new technology, content information, and tips for improving instruction in today’s classroom. Blogging has shown to be an excellent format for continual learning and reaching out to others. Blogs are being used in school at all levels to connect teacher and students in a virtual classroom where more and more can be done (and learned) every day. Here students can practice writing, reading, and comprehension skills such as pulling out main ideas and summarizing (when referring to lesson/unit material). Also, students at all different proficiency and academic levels can benefit from a blog. Because it is all inclusive, everyone can participate. Advanced students can be challenged with all the available technology components and struggling students can practice basic skills, get feedback from others, and learn from classmates.
Blogging, believe it or not, is relatively new to me and I never realized all the educational applications that are possible. After researching and reading the discussions on this topic, I think all students should be exposed to blogging at some point in their school lives. Of course differentiation is required to meet the ability levels of the students, but this is both easy and reasonable to do. I am excited to use blogging in my classroom in the future.
Journal 6: Software Review and iMovie
Journal 6
INSPIRATION SOFTWARE
For the Inspiration Assignment I chose to use the original Inspiration software. I created a topic analysis web using the main idea of comprehension as my starting point. I briefly reviewed the tutorial on the Atomic Learning site but mainly took the approach of learning by doing and just started creating! I found the program user friendly with a lot of creative components to make your work more meaningful, colorful, and interactive. Most of my time was spent not actually creating the web but adding pictures and playing around with different colors. I think students would like this program a lot, although it may appear more to the visual or tactile learners. It is a great tool for connecting words and images as well as using maps or other graphical representations to clarify tough concepts. As a teacher, I would first model the use of this software and then show an example. Starting out working in pairs may be another way to ease students into becoming proficient users of the software.
I would incorporate this software in my classroom as an extension of learning in a major unit or lesson. This program could be used across subject areas including Social Studies and Language Arts to only name a few. In Language arts, making a visual web of related ideas could help students make connections between characters, themes, and actions. In Social Studies, it would be used to show the significance and aftermath of major battles. This tool could also be used as a means of assessment to indicate to the teacher the level of student comprehension following a lesson or unit. Since there are so many components to this software, I would introduce it towards the beginning of the year, model an example, and expose students to its many capabilities in small chunks and then as a final demonstration of understanding, ask the students to complete a work of original art similar to what I did in this assignment.
3. I liked the Atomic Learning tutorial a lot. The use of video as a means of instructional guidance is an excellent idea to reach all different types of learners. This goes along with the importance of modeling for our students so they have a clear understanding of what we want and what they are supposed to do. I think this type of tutorial can gives students the preliminary information and foundation they need to have confidence in getting started.
iMOVIE
I had a lot of fun making the iMOVIE and thought the software had a lot of innovative capabilities. It took me a while to get started, but once I played around a bit, I was finally able to navigate through and complete the movie. The hardest part for me was the sound component; figuring out how to crop music and make it fade at the end. I definitely think students would need a tutorial before starting and also would benefit greatly from teaching modeling and seeing an example of a previously made movie. The iMOVIE program is an excellent outlet for building creativity in students and is appealing to audio, visual, and tactile learners. At the end, students can see their finished product and feel a sense of accomplishment.
I would incorporate the iMOVIE into my classroom as part of a major unit. It can be applied to different subject areas such as Social Studies where students can make a move including video and pictures of historical sites or in Language Arts where a movie is made about an important literary figure. Music from the period being studied can be included to accompany the visuals. This would be an excellent activity individually or in groups. I think I would do something like this at the end of a unit and after thorough explanation and modeling. The iMOVIE software could also be used as vehicle to connect students across the globe by making a movie about their class and/or school and sending it to students in another country.
The video tutorial, Accidental Student, was very helpful in seeing how to begin the iMOVIE assignment. For a program like this, where they are so many things you can do and so many details to pay attention to, it is crucial for students to receive some guidance so they feel confident in experimenting with the material. The best learning tool, however, is actually doing it and playing around with the software on your own. Then the students can see firsthand how to make their movie.
INSPIRATION SOFTWARE
For the Inspiration Assignment I chose to use the original Inspiration software. I created a topic analysis web using the main idea of comprehension as my starting point. I briefly reviewed the tutorial on the Atomic Learning site but mainly took the approach of learning by doing and just started creating! I found the program user friendly with a lot of creative components to make your work more meaningful, colorful, and interactive. Most of my time was spent not actually creating the web but adding pictures and playing around with different colors. I think students would like this program a lot, although it may appear more to the visual or tactile learners. It is a great tool for connecting words and images as well as using maps or other graphical representations to clarify tough concepts. As a teacher, I would first model the use of this software and then show an example. Starting out working in pairs may be another way to ease students into becoming proficient users of the software.
I would incorporate this software in my classroom as an extension of learning in a major unit or lesson. This program could be used across subject areas including Social Studies and Language Arts to only name a few. In Language arts, making a visual web of related ideas could help students make connections between characters, themes, and actions. In Social Studies, it would be used to show the significance and aftermath of major battles. This tool could also be used as a means of assessment to indicate to the teacher the level of student comprehension following a lesson or unit. Since there are so many components to this software, I would introduce it towards the beginning of the year, model an example, and expose students to its many capabilities in small chunks and then as a final demonstration of understanding, ask the students to complete a work of original art similar to what I did in this assignment.
3. I liked the Atomic Learning tutorial a lot. The use of video as a means of instructional guidance is an excellent idea to reach all different types of learners. This goes along with the importance of modeling for our students so they have a clear understanding of what we want and what they are supposed to do. I think this type of tutorial can gives students the preliminary information and foundation they need to have confidence in getting started.
iMOVIE
I had a lot of fun making the iMOVIE and thought the software had a lot of innovative capabilities. It took me a while to get started, but once I played around a bit, I was finally able to navigate through and complete the movie. The hardest part for me was the sound component; figuring out how to crop music and make it fade at the end. I definitely think students would need a tutorial before starting and also would benefit greatly from teaching modeling and seeing an example of a previously made movie. The iMOVIE program is an excellent outlet for building creativity in students and is appealing to audio, visual, and tactile learners. At the end, students can see their finished product and feel a sense of accomplishment.
I would incorporate the iMOVIE into my classroom as part of a major unit. It can be applied to different subject areas such as Social Studies where students can make a move including video and pictures of historical sites or in Language Arts where a movie is made about an important literary figure. Music from the period being studied can be included to accompany the visuals. This would be an excellent activity individually or in groups. I think I would do something like this at the end of a unit and after thorough explanation and modeling. The iMOVIE software could also be used as vehicle to connect students across the globe by making a movie about their class and/or school and sending it to students in another country.
The video tutorial, Accidental Student, was very helpful in seeing how to begin the iMOVIE assignment. For a program like this, where they are so many things you can do and so many details to pay attention to, it is crucial for students to receive some guidance so they feel confident in experimenting with the material. The best learning tool, however, is actually doing it and playing around with the software on your own. Then the students can see firsthand how to make their movie.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Journal 1-About Me
My name is Caitlyn O'Donnell and I am currently enrolled in the Multiple Subject Middle Level Program at CSUSM. I have lived in California for two years now, residing in the city of Murrieta. I moved here from back East, born and raised in Maine. I went to Lyseth Elementary, Lyman Moore Middle School, and then Deering High School. For college I moved to Salem, Virginia and attended Roanoke College where I received a B.A. Honors in Spanish with a concentration in Marketing. After graduation, I went into the staffing industry as a recruiter but later decided it was not the right field for me. Both personal and professional goals/interests have led me to education as my career and I hope to teacher Spanish and Language Arts.
I have used technology for most of my life and feel fairly proficient in most applications. I have always used a PC but am slowly but surely getting adjusted to the ways of the Mac. I am always on the computer; checking emails, writing papers, or doing research. I am also always on my cell phone, constantly sending text messages and calling my friends across the U.S. Given my obvious dependence on technology, both for academic and personal use, I do not know what I would do without it! On my laptop I am using the newest version of Microsoft Office and it has been an okay transition for me.
In reading the CSUSM/COE Mission Statement the words that immediately stood out to me were "diversity, educational equity, and social justice" because that is the core of what I believe education should be about and as future teachers it is our job to perpetuate this throughout our classroom. The diversity of California and the reputation of the school as having an excellent credential program were factors that influenced my decision to come here. The classes all seem so relevant and meaningful that I feel upon graduation I will be truly prepared to step foot in my first classroom.
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