All good classes must come to an end!

Today was the last day of my first class on my journey through the Instructional Technology program. The entire week was filled with great people and tons of great new technologies. Our final project included incorporating all the different technologies we have learned throughout the week. These technologies included Glogster, Google sites, Google doc, Jing, iMovie, Skype, Garage Band, and so much more. My team used lots of these technologies to create a lesson for second graders about community jobs. We focused on having the students make a Glogster. If you haven't heard or used Glogster it is definitely worth checking out!! I had never used Glogster until we started our final project, but it is definitely something I will be using in my classroom next year. For our small unit on community jobs we had the students use different types of medias to learn more about the different kinds of jobs in a community using an RWLD. Then the students picked the job they wanted to have when they got older. With the job they chose they would create a Glogster with 4 different facts, 2 pictures, and an optional video. If you would like to see the lesson in more detail please check out the website we used! Even if you can't use our community lesson I would recommend you find a different way to use a Glogster in your classroom.

Resources for using Glogster:

Here is a video on how to use Glogster Edu- http://i41.tinypic.com/2drv3ao.jpg
Here is an article about using Glogster in education: Glogster Launches Education Development Program
Here are some written directions on how to use Glogster- http://www.ehow.com/how_5941261_create-poster-glogster.html

Mac = Frustrating

I was never a Macintosh user growing up. When I got my first teaching job I had to learn how to use a Mac because that was the only type of computer in the entire school. It was frustrating to learn how to operate a new computer system. When I moved to a new school I was back in my comfort zone, a Mac free zone that is! I know some people love their Mac's, and they do have some good qualities, but they aren't for me. Today we had to create a video using iMovies and the process was exhausting and I found myself frustrated with a Mac all over again. Not only were were working with a new program, but also a system we weren't familiar with. Fortunately I remembered a few things from using the Mac last year. It's crazy how two pieces of technology that do essentially the same thing can be so different. Look at this site to see which is best for you. It comes down to your needs and which type of computer meets that need. For those of us in this class that aren't Mac users, well we will just have to get tough and suck it up! Here are a list of sites to help us get through iMovie.

This site gives you a basic visual of how to get started with iMovie:
http://www.cmu.edu/computing/doc/contributed/imovie/index.html

At this site you will find a more detailed description of how to use iMovie, add pictures/videos, and edit your work:
http://mvtv.org/imovie.pdf

Here is a video you can watch on how to get started with iMovie 9:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjrS9iX_txU

Picture courtesy of http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4528239534_c3b20f96ef.jpg

Rockin' Robin Tweedle-lee-dee-dee-dee, tweedle-lee-dee-dee

Today was my first day on campus for one of my classes and it was awesome. I thought I knew how to use a lot of different tools but today's activities took me to a whole new level. We looked at Twitter/TweetDeck, Diigo, Jing, and, iGoogle, and Google Docs. I'm not sure if I'm sold on the whole idea of tweeting yet, but it has proven to be useful today in class. We downloaded TweetDeck which allowed us to organize and group our tweets. Through TweetDeck I've been able to see all my classmates comments during and after class. For a project we are working on creating surveys for the class to fill out and sending them through Twitter. I think the coolest TweetDeck experience of the day was when we skyped with Vicki Davis author of the blog Cool Cat Teacher. While we were talking to her we were able to tweet questions/comments to her for her to respond to. This teacher does amazing things with her students and having the chance to speak with her and ask her questions was incredible and I encourage you to check out her blog up above. So how will I be using Twitter you ask? I think it will be used for educational purposes only on a needs basis. I follow Superman (Tom Welling) and even he doesn't use it 24/7...too busy saving the world I guess.

Will computers ever replace teachers???

http://tiger.towson.edu/~sharre2/images/technologygraphic.jpg

My brother always tries to tell me that someday there will be a time where a lot of teachers won't be needed because computers will take over. I personally think there will always be a need for teachers, but then again I don't want to lose my job:) Awhile back when I was at home visiting my parents I read an interesting article in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier about a new performance based diploma academy for students that are "digital" learners. This academy is literally taking away the teacher and replacing him/her with a computer program that teaches them the concepts digitally and allows them to work at their own pace. Of course there is one teacher supervising the group of kids but it makes you wonder, can computers replace teachers? The program targets those that are failing or on the verge of dropping out of school as another alternative for getting the education needed. While this concept is a great idea I feel that those who study hard in school to get good grades and are also digital learners are being left out of this opportunity. Both Waterloo high schools have had a huge success rate with this program, but the only downfall is that students aren't getting the writing and science lab requirements needed through the program.

Computers and Internet

My first discussion topic for one of my questions was to write about myself and how I use technology. I made the comment that when I'm teaching social studies it's hard for me to say a computer is a want and not a need. In my life I feel as though it's a need, not just for the internet but for the Microsoft Word components as well. I type much faster than I write and for someone who doesn't draw very well I can make a nice clean circle! Is it a need though?? The definition of a need for second graders is something you need to live/survive. Another definition from Longman Online Dictionary is "to have to have something or someone, because you cannot do something without them, or because you cannot continue or cannot exist without them". Can we exist without computers???? One could argue that they did so many years ago and we can do it again. Can you imagine life without computers??? I can't! Think about how much slower everything would take. Right now it takes me two minutes to check my bank account online and make sure it's balance (that's if I haven't made any mistakes:)) Before online backing it would take me a lot longer because first of all I had to wait every month to get the statement. We can also think about the number of trees computers save us from chopping down. Who needs to write a letter to someone when you can e-mail them!

My professor asked a really good question in response to my discussion topic, is the internet a right or a privilege? My response was: I think if you are the one paying for the internet service it is a right, but if you aren't paying for the service then it's a privilege. I think some people go into libraries and abuse their right to be on the internet by acting inappropriately with kids around. I also think someone could argue their 1st amendment rights and say that the internet is a right for them. I think this question is a great discussion question and I'm sure lots of people have their own opinion on the topic.

Articles you may want to read about this issue:

http://www.progress.org/cfaccess.htm

http://tinyurl.com/26mjdqs

Photo Courtesy of http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/images/Human-Behavior.gif