After Presentations

It was interesting to see the various ways to use the SmartBoard. You don't only have to use lessons provided by the SmartBoard but can use other websites that are interactive and fun.

Or you can just stick with the activities provided by SmartBoard because there are lots of lessons already made and great to use. It's like the foundation of a lesson you want to teach the students and if you don't like something about that pre-made lesson/activity then you can change it by adding something else to it or taking something away or even fixing a problem they made a mistake on.

Assignment #3

Learning Colors

The SmartBoard activity I chose to present is from the SmartBoard lesson activity for 3rd grade in the subject area of Arts and Design. This activity focuses on primary and secondary colors and how secondary colors are formed.

This activity meets NETs Standards in the following ways:

NETS*S:
1. Creativity and Innovation
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

2. Communication and Collaboration
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a
variety of media and formats
3. Technology Operations and Concepts
a. understand and use technology systems
b. select and use applications effectively and productively

NETS*T:
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools
resources to promote student learning and creativity
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents,
and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats

All the classrooms I have been to so far (for observations) had a SmartBoard. The teachers used them very naturally and it seemed that it was as effective as using a white board or power point (but still better because it is more interactive). I think it really just depends on the teacher and how effectively they are using it. Elementary students seem to have more fun with the SmartBoard than the middle school students but the fact that they help relay information to the students remain the same through all grade levels.

Assignment #2

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/
- This website is a good tool when explaining history to children. Not only does it contain factual information but it also has pictures to go along with it. You can use this site using the over head projector and have students read them or you can print out the pages and create a book of some sort.
- They even give you past advertisements and what they used to say to the public.
http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-math-lines-xfactor/index.html
- This site has fun math games that children can play during their break time.
- It doesn’t help much in a class learning setting, but it does help students learn on their own time in a fun way
http://www.free-reading.net/index.php?title=Main_Page
- Great page to help students learn to read
- Has downloadable picture cards/flash cards that you can use in class
- Lots of activities for reading given, or ideas on how to teach it
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/
- Cool science website that gives you teachers guide and student activities
- But it’s mainly about microscopes so it’s not as helpful unless you use microscopes in your classroom.

One way I can use del.icio.us in my classroom is to set it up so that all the students have access to it. This will be helpful to them when they need to research something they have all the useful sites close by. It narrows down what sites to look at instead of “googling” everything.
Another way to use del.icio.us is to share with other teachers and make sure we’re not only being kept accountable with the sources we use for our students but also to use other sources that teachers elsewhere may have found useful.

Reflection #1

says that this is really cool!!
There are lots of tools online THAT ARE FREE and so fun to use. I never knew things like this existed.

I especially love the classtools.net
- there was this one program on this page that allowed me to create a game using questions I either made up or found on this site. It was so much fun!! :)

Generation IM: Getting Through to Today's Teched-out Children

At first when I read that 67% of preschools use the internet I was shocked but then i realized that it made sense. Even in the public Libraries I see little children using the computer all the time, playing games online that the the Library set up for them.

The article's teaching suggestions are interesting. It's like the things we did in class when we were attending grade school but done electronically now. For example, the blog entry is just like when we used to have to write journals in class, but now they can just write it at home or wherever they can get access to the internet.

But at the same time it seems new, it seems like things I did in high school. For example, making videos and such. I think the newness comes from the fact that the things I did in high school are now (expected) <-- in parentheses because I couldn't think of another word... but as I was saying, the things I did in high school are now (expected) to be done in elementary school.

Small Group Hands-On Time

It was interesting how two people planning to teach the same grade level would like similar smart board activities. Christina and I were planning to pick two smart board activities each but it turned out that one of the smart board activity that we picked was the same one.

I think using the smart board was fun. But it's not too new to me because I use my tablet PC which acts like a smart board, just in smaller size.

Assignment #1

I have not been able to observe a classroom yet. But I do know I would like to incorporate technology in my future classroom. I would really like to use a smart board in the classroom. I would have to practice a lot with it, but I think that it will be well worth the practice. I would also use videos or other electronically made visuals.

http://firma.northwestu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.firma.northwestu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ768929&site=ehost-live

The article I read was titled, “May the Force be White Board!” “Lee Bell, David Jones, Julia King, Claire Nicholson and Andrew Pinks describe a themed lesson that made maximum use of an interactive whiteboard” (pg. 1) An interactive whiteboard is very similar to the Smart board. I believe it is also not as expensive.

In this article, these graduating BA students wrote about their experience when teaching children about 2D shapes using an interactive white board (IWB). They initially played a game with the children on the IWB to get them used to it and to capture their attention. Then they went on to show a clip on the IWB that explained what 2D shapes were (something they created). Then they used a “spotlight” program to hide the 2D picture and show only parts of what they wanted the children to see. Then they would have them guess what shape they were looking at.

But they didn’t only use the IWB, they also had the children create 2D shaped aliens with shapes already cut out for them in groups. Then each group would pick one alien that they liked and would come up to the IWB and draw what they decided upon (I think that they could have told the teacher what shapes were needed and in which order they were to be placed so that there is more emphasis on learning the names of the shapes that they’re using).
In order to keep the children on task, they would put a “timer” on the IWB so that the children will know how much more time they have before they have to stop.

The conclusion of this article was really interesting. They noted that just because the children can use the IWB didn’t mean they had to continuously come up and play with it. In fact it was an unwise use of time. Because they realized that as much as the children enjoyed playing with the IWB themselves, they were also really happy just watching the teacher play with the IWB.

I thought it really interesting how this group of students used the IWB as a way to get the children’s attention at the beginning of class. From this article I got the feeling that they used up too much time by having the students continuously come up to the IWB and interact with it. I think it really is important to note that just because the children can use the IWB doesn’t mean that they should only rely on that. And technology shouldn’t be used in a way to entertain the children but to effectively teach students with a greater number of participation.

National Educational Technology (NET) http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=NETS

NET standards for teachers (2008): Important because it helps to capture student’s attention which will help them learn or have the desire to learn. The standards for teachers are:
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
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

NET standards for students (2007): Important because students now live in a generation where it’s all about the technology. So, they need to know how to use it, when to use it, and the different ways to use it. The standards for students are:
1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Communication and Collaboration
3. Research and Information Fluency
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
5. Digital Citizenship
6. Technology Operations and Concepts