Week Five - Online Communication

In week five we learned about the usage of online communication tools in the classroom.  Some I was already familiar with and some I was not.  I’m very familiar with email and have been using it for around fifteen years; next I am semi-familiar with blogs or weblogs and chat. Blogs are places where one individual can post thoughts, ideas and writings and other people can comment back on specific posts. Chat can be used to instantly communicate with someone else as long as you are both online at the same time.

The forms of online communication that I learned the most about this week were wikis, VoIPs, microblogging, and virtual worlds. Wikis, like Wikipedia are websites that allow multiple people to update and edit information that they contain. VoIPs or Voice over Internet Protocols, like Skype allow people to make a voice call using the internet rather than a landline.  Microblogging allows people to send short text messages to a specified group of people.  Virtual worlds, like Second Life, which probably won’t be seen in the near future in schools have potential to be used a place for discussion and collaboration.

I have never used any online communication tools in the classroom because I have not yet had the opportunity to teach. However, if I had a classroom I would definitely make good use of email.  I would use email as one method of communication between students, parents and myself.  Regarding students I would try to set specific hours in which I would read and answer emails so that they wouldn’t expect me to be available for an answer twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week; however they would be able to reach me with assignment questions or even to turn in an assignment.  I would definitely go over email etiquette and usage in the very beginning of the school year. Student emails to me would be expected to be in a formal format with no acronyms.

I would use email as a communication tool between parents and myself to keep parents up-to-date on their children or just to answer any questions or concerns that may pop up.  I would not set time/day limits on when I was available to answer emails from parents.

The International Society for Technology in Education established the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS *T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers. Using online communication tools can be used to meet the fourth standard; Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility:Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.   By teaching students correct and proper etiquette in online communication settings teachers can help reach this fourth standard.

Week Four - Presentation Programs

This week in lesson four we learned about using presentation programs as teaching tools. Presentation programs like Microsoft’s PowerPoint can be invaluable aids to teachers. Presentation programs like PowerPoint consist of one or of a series of slides; each of these slides can contain pictures, video, text and audio. These programs can even replace traditional teaching tools like blackboards, white boards and overhead projectors.

The International Society for Technology in Education established the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS *T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers. Presentation programs can help meet the second standard Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments; teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS*S.  Presentation programs allow teachers to design, develop and even evaluate learning experiences using technology.

I made a PowerPoint presentation about the life-cycle of a Monarch butterfly to show to the kids that I nanny. They are ages seven, five and almost three. I made the presentation short, simple and included lots of pictures.

The items in my presentation that I’m the proudest of are the graphics.  I feel like I found some great pictures to represent the life cycle of a Monarch butterfly in a simple, easy to grasp way.

If I was to re-do my presentation I would do better at keeping the concept of simplicity in mind. I feel that some of the wording I used provided a little too much information at times. Like one of the articles from the reading this week said, you have to use presentations as a teaching tool and not use them to teach for you. I used the Monarch presentation more to teach for me rather than just as a tool.

The kids responded well to the presentation that I made for them; they wanted to linger over the pictures, they were inquisitive and asked lots of questions.  After watching the presentation the kids were very interested in finding an egg or a baby caterpillar to try to watch the life cycle progress for themselves. Even though there changes that could have been made, I think that overall the presentation was a success.

At the bottom of the page I have posted a YouTube link to the PowerPoint I made on the life cycle of a Monarch butterfly, the video is a little small but it seeing it will help illustrate my points.

Week Three - Word Processing and Desktop Publishing

In Week Three I learned more in depth about what word processing and desktop publishing programs are by definition and I also got a more in depth look at how these programs can be used in a classroom setting, both by teachers for administrative duties and by students as a means of enhancing learning and reaching learning objectives.

A word processing program can be defined as a program that allows you to enter, format, copy and paste and even move around sections of text. A few examples of how word processing programs such as Microsoft Word can be used by students are; to write papers or stories, as a method of journal keeping, as an easy way to write collaborative stories and as a way to create timelines.  Examples of how teachers may use word processing programs are; for record keeping, journal keeping in relation to the classroom and for creating correspondence such as letters, letterheads, mailing labels and envelopes.

A desktop publishing program can be defined as a program that allows you to create professional looking items that combine graphics, text and formatting. A few examples of how desktop publishing programs such as The Print Shop software can be used by students and teachers are; to create flyers, brochures, greeting cards as holiday activities, invitations to classroom activities, banners displaying current themes, homework calendars and newsletters for parents and the public.

I have uploaded two examples of a lost poster I made just for the purpose of this blog. The first was done quickly without much thought of how to make a memorable impact. The border and large, easy-to-read text make the message semi-appealing, however, the lack of color, graphics and a real, concise message make the flyer easily forgettable.

In the second example, the item is more visually appealing thanks to color, layout, font size and a graphic.  However, the flyer could still use some tweaking to be even appealing with the addition of more colors, a different border and perhaps even more graphics or different fonts.

Week Two - Spreadsheets and Databases in the Classroom

• Provide a URL of one Web site that discusses spreadsheet and/or database use in the classroom.

One of the websites I found that discusses the use of databases in the classroom was located at: http://www.ehow.com/info_7994591_use-databases-classroom.html

• Describe something you found that surprised you about how databases or spreadsheets can be utilized in the classroom.

I was surprised by the fact that databases can be utilized in the classroom to easily and quickly send letters home to parents or guardians. Once a database is established with contact information for parents or guardians you can use the database to almost effortlessly send personalized letters home to parents by using the mail merge feature with a word processing program such as Microsoft Word. You can also create labels or print envelopes using the same database to make mailing the letters a simple task.

I was also surprised that it was possible to use a database to produce word searches and crossword puzzles. Although I have never taught, these types of activities were effective learning tools for me as an elementary/middle school student and I really like the idea of a fast and easy way to produce them.

I was significantly surprised by how easily student learning outcomes can be achieved through the use of databases and spreadsheets. Databases and spreadsheets can be used to make graphical representations of data, once these graphs are established analyzing and interpreting data can be much easier for students. Even better is the fact that multiple types of graphs can be made from the same set of data; for example, seeing a pie chart along with a bar graph can make data analysis even easier for students.

• Discuss how you have used spreadsheets and databases in the past. Include ways you have used them with your students or ways you have used them as an educator.

In the past I haven’t used spreadsheets or databases for much more than a make shift address book unless I was given a specific school assignment that required me use a spreadsheet or database.

Because I do not have my own classroom I have never had the opportunity to use them in a school setting but as a teacher I will use databases and spreadsheets to store student information, as an attendance roster, as a grade book, to keep track of assignments, to send letters home to parents, to make reward charts and to produce crossword puzzles and word searches. 

I will also use databases and spreadsheets to help achieve learning outcomes with my students. One example is to have students make a database of favorite music, books, video games or movies. Once this database has been established I will have students make graphs and charts plotting the data. These graphs and charts can then help students easily interpret and analyze their data.  By being used in this way spreadsheets and databases meet NETS*T standard (2) Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.

Week One - Blog Established

• What did you learn this week that you will use immediately in your classroom?

Although I do not yet have a classroom, once I do I will immediately begin implementing the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS *T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers established by the International Society for Technology in Education.

There are five standards; (1) Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, (2) Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments, (3) Model Digital-Age Work and Learning, (4) Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility and (5) Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. Each of these standards has 4 sub-items listed, A-D that describes each standard more thoroughly.

• What steps will you take to implement this in your classroom?

In order to implement each standard in my classroom I will simply start at number one and go down through each standard and sub-item listed. For standard (1) Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, sub-item (B) engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources, I will give students a real-world situation/problem and ask them to come up with a solution using digital tools and resources. For example, I may ask students to plan a trip using information found online. Each student will be given a different destination and he/she will be required to find directions, hotels to stop at along the way, at least one entertainment venue (e.g. an amusement park), to calculate approximate cost of fuel and meals for the trip, etc. Students will be given a budget and timeline that they will be required to follow.

For standard (3) Model Digital-Age Work and Learning, sub-item (B) collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation, I will establish a website. This website will consist of a blog which I will update periodically with important classroom information, listings for volunteer opportunities at school or in the classroom, information regarding upcoming activities or field trips, a listing of all test dates and due dates for major assignments, a school calendar, updates for school closings and/or delays and a place where parents/guardians can access their child’s grade book using a unique code and/or password.

• What challenge(s) will you face when using this in your classroom?

I will face challenges in implementing some of the standards that I am less familiar with. I believe that I encounter problems with standard (3) Model Digital-Age Work and Learning, sub-item (A) demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations, because I am not entirely up-to-date on new technologies and situations. I will have to make a concentrated effort to stay on top of current and new technologies.

• What will you do to overcome the challenge(s)?

To overcome challenges that I may find along the way I will utilize the online tutorials, peers, magazine subscriptions and books. I expect that utilizing technology in my classroom will be something that I will have constantly update and revisit.