Journal #10

For this journal posting I read the article entitled, Disabled Bodies, Able Minds: Giving Voice, Movement, and Independence to the Physically Challenged by Diane Curtis which discusses the technology that has been developed to assist students that are not phisically mobile in being active and participating in school activities and events. This article is extremely relevant and can help me as a future teacher in many ways. There are so many resources out there that can help me provide assistance to students and enhance their learning and ability to participate in learning to the fullest. By students being able to function in the classroom more independantly they get an enhanced confidence and will want to learn more and be more involoved. An example of this in a classroom setting that the article discussed is the use of technology and computers for students to take their own notes and communicate through typing their thoughts.

How will I use technology to assist students with special needs?

Through differentiating lesson plans I will make visuals and communication avaialble to students with special needs. If they cannot communicate or need modifications in assignments I will be aware of this and make lessons reflect their needs as well.

What do schools need to do to provide students with special needs the technology to be successful in school?

Schools need to be aware of the technology that is available to them and include this in the budget and always increase the tools that they can provide for students with special needs.

Journal #9

In the article Are Schools Inhibiting 21st Century Learning? by Dave Nagel he discusses students, teachers, parents and administrators' points of view in limiting students use of technology in the classroom. This topic seems to be a double edged sword because on one hand students do feel limited and do not feel that they have the access and use of technology and are being limited to the use of it in school but on the other hand security and control of technology is vital and important in an educational setting. Tools such as social networking are so valuable to people in the real world sharing knowledge with others and increasing your own in so essential in education. There are students that will abuse the privilidge and use this tool inappropriately and schools are liable and responsible so they are not willing to risk any type of exposure to this. I think that this problem could be limited with the focus on technology in schools but educating and bringing teachers up to speed on how to monitor kids use of technology in the classroom and setting the ground rules with their students. Establishing rules and setting expectations within the classroom is the first step. Teachers also need to get updated on the resources and technology that is being used because students knowledge far exceeds many teachers knowledge when it comes to technology. Another important part of using technology successfully in the classroom and benefiting both students and the teacher is to monitor students use and to be sure that all students are using the technology appropriately. An example of this is to have a class blog and monitor students comments and use of blog consistently. If a student abuses their privlidges then they lose them.

How would I handle establishing rules for using technology in my future classroom?

I would have all students sign a contract that establishes a commitment from each student in how they will use the technology that is available to them and that they are responsible for their comments and use of the resources. This will give them a sense of responsibility and they will develop a reputation online.

Do I feel that I am comfortable in using technology in my future classroom?

I feel really confident in using the technology that I have learned and the technology that I really benefit from in my life in my classroom. I really enjoy blogging and reading blogs so I think I will definately use this tool in my classroom for a variety of subjects.

Journal #8

The article, Spotlight: Free Science Resources Online, by Dave Nagel is from the March 2008 issue of THE Journal and has both explanations and highlights great resources for teaching science utilizing the resources on the web. The article highlights the NASA website, MIT's website and the Smithsonian Institution's website. It is very hard to get kids attention and keep them motivated to learn when teaching subjects like science and math. Few kids realize the impact and modern day uses of science in our world. These websites offer materials and resources for elementary levels all the way through high school and secondary education. There are lectures, videos, audio clips, and animations that are avaliable on the web for both teachers and students. There are even links that offer resources for AP Calculus, AP Biology and AP Physics. Sometimes we do not have the resources in our classroom to conduct the lessons we want to give to our students but we can improvise and show videos of labs or demonstrations that are offered on MIT's website that will give our students this knowledge.

I particularly liked NASA's website resources that are offered. I think that space and the technology that is developed at NASA is so facinating that it is great to capture students interest and motivate them by showing them the different simulations and technology developed at NASA. I like the interactive links that allow students to find out fun facts like what astronauts wear in space. I hope to teach 2nd or 3rd grade and this is something I would use in my classroom. Visuals are something that allow students to get a real perspective on what is being taught and this makes learning fun.

How would I make science fun in my future classroom?

I think there are so many different ways to make science fun by getting students up and moving and having them actively learning. I liked one of the links on NASA's website that was entitled star gazing. This activity allowed students to identify different stars. I think it would be fun to incorporate this into a lesson in the classroom and have students do star gazing and label different stars that they see.

How would I utilize these resources as a teacher?

There are lectures and lesson plans online that I can use or get ideas for that will help make science fun and interesting. By continually educating myself and using technology in the classroom I can get students to be interested in science.

Journal 7 Photosharing on Classroom 2.0

I chose to find out more about photosharing in classroom 2.0. I discovered a website that allows you create a slideshow with your pictures and mixes them into a fast paced slide show. The website is http://animoto.com/ and there is an example of a slideshow that you can create on the website. The slideshow looks like something you would see on a television commercial. You can even add your own music to it. This is a tool that can be used in the classroom for a variety of subjects. It is a way for students to learn and be creative through technology. In the thread I read that this is a great tool to use in the classroom for storytelling. Students can finish the ending of a book or use it to structure a story that they create for a literature class.

Journal 6 - imovie Review

imovie is a great program and is very user friendly. It is basically a program that you can figure out or go through a step by step process and have students use it as you teach them like we did in class. By incorporating this program in the classroom you can capture students interest and motivate them to learn. I loved that you can incorporate music and still images and video that you capture to create a movie. This can be used for so many things but I immediately thought of students creating commercials or movies in groups for an assignment.

Journal 6 - Kidspiration

How I liked the program and how I would incorporate it into my classroom:

I really liked kidspiration and enjoyed using it to create the cluster map below on the topic of space. It is a great tool that I will use in the classroom and I thinks kids will really enjoy using this program. It allows them to utilize technology and creatively organize ideas as a prewriting exercise or just a tool to organize their thoughts while learning a particular topic. This is a great way to incorporate technology in the classroom and can benefit all different types of learners. Using this in the classroom fosters creative thinking and can be used for visual learners, GATE students, English Language Learners and children with disabilities. When using this program I thought it would be great to use for creating a family tree, or describing parts of a story that students have read or a prewriting activity on a subject. Having the visuals that represent students ideas allows them to think more creativly and will help their writing.

I really liked Atomic Learning and think it is a great tool for students to have. It is great to have these tutorials if they are needing help when they are using the program from home or the library. Another time when you can use the Atomic Learning self tutorials in the classroom is if students are at different levels. Some students are very technologically savvy and others are not because they do not have the resources at home and don't get to use it a lot.

Journal #5 “Five on Five: A Dialogue on Profession Development” by Matt Villano

This article discussed the technology in today’s classrooms and the support that schools are providing the teachers. The technology is so advanced now that teachers need more support and the schools are recognizing that they need to provide the support to teachers. Some school districts are already providing this support and providing instructions and training for the advanced technology applications to enhance technology in the classroom. One of the contributors of the article stated that, “Ongoing professional development doesn't mean we just teach more of the same or we do the same workshop over and over again. It's about listening to teachers as they work out the issues with technology. It's time spent giving feedback, collaborating, and building new skills on a solid foundation of what works.” This is critical because the use of technology takes practice and working out issues until the teachers are comfortable using the technology and using it as a tool when teaching. If they are not comfortable using the technology they won’t use it in the classroom. I think it is great that school districts are recognizing how important technology is and providing the support for teachers to utilize it.

Question #1 - Do you think continuing education and technology support is important as a future educator?

I believe that continuing education and technology support is critical. The continual networking, collaboration and support is especially important when using applications and tools on the computer that I am not extremely comfortable using. I think it is important to think about our students when thinking about this topic because they are the ones that will benefit from teachers being continually educated and supported.

Question #2 - What support would you like to have when you are teaching?

It would be great to have a technology help line or a support person who can be accessible when you have a problem or a question when using technology in the classroom. This would be beneficial so that you don’t get frustrated. Frustration will cause teachers to avoid using the technology.

Journal #4 “Five Don’ts of Classroom Blogging by Julie Sturgeon

I love that Brock Dubbels believes because he has seen firsthand that his students do better when they know their peers will be reviewing their work rather than just the teacher. That is funny because I think that I do better on assignment when that is the case as well, I just never thought of it that way. It is like our personal blogs for this class. I love to see my classmates’ blogs and see what they saw and how creative everyone is, and I worked hard on mine for the same reason. I agree with the author that classroom blogging can be touchy and keep teachers on the defensive because students, especially teenagers will definitely push the line on what they say and some of their comments may be inappropriate. The number one don’t that was stressed is to set up guidelines and rules for the students to follow when using the blogs. I think it is a great idea for students to sign off on a code of conduct for blogging that sets the ground rules. If students know that these types of behaviors will not fly and they will not be allowed to use this great resources if they misbehave will make students think twice before behaving inappropriately. Another suggestion that the author makes that I agree with is to be sure to keep the blogs educational and focused on coursework rather than allowing students to socialize. That is not the purpose of this resource in the classroom setting.

Question #1 - What benefits does blogging provide students?

The traditional ways of teaching do not always provide successful results in classrooms today. Students lose interest and sometimes these ways of teaching do not relate to the real world. Utilizing technology such as blogging in the classroom will be more beneficial for kids in today’s society. They will use the type of skills in future jobs and to communicate to other people in society. One of the skills that students use when blogging are their writing skills. It is great to have them write no matter what way they are doing it. Writing on their blog is a great way to improve students writing skills and have them enjoy writing.

Question #2 - How would I manage the blogs to be sure students are utilizing this tool correctly?

I would continuously monitor my students’ blogs to be sure that they are using it in the correct context and on task. I would set up scheduled times that they could use the computers in a lab or in the classroom and continuously monitor as they are working. By setting up rules and having them sign a code of conduct students will understand the severity of breaking the rules.

Journal #3 “Speaking Math Using Chat in the Multicultural Classroom” By Janet Graham and Ted Hodgson

This article was about the discussion of exploring the use of electronic discussion tools in geometry and algebra classes with students of many cultures. This is a research project that was done in Osbourn High School in the Washington DC area and is a multi-ethnic school. As a result of this electronic discussion tool being implemented the development of mathematical understanding for these students has increased for multicultural students. This is a tool that allows students to learn based on their prior knowledge and incorporate what they already know into a subject area that is extremely difficult for many students. So many people today, no matter what their cultural background is or where they are from are familiar with texting or chatting on line. It is a way of life for many people, especially teenagers. By incorporating this aspect of their prior knowledge into math and allow them to communicate in a way that they are comfortable it will allow them to become more comfortable with math and create a low stress environment.

Question #1 – How can I utilize a discussion or chatroom online in my future math class?

I really like assigning students to post a response to a question and explain why they answered it a certain way. This allows me to analyze the students thinking and is an additional way to assess the students understanding to guide what I should teach next. I can always tweak my lesson plans if I think they understand or do something different when teaching a particular lesson because their posts suggest that they did not understand it.

Question #2 - How does this form of communication benefit English Language Learners?

This form of communication is great for students who are English Language Learners. This allows these students to have extra time to post their answers and think about what they want to say before they communicate it. It is also great because they have the opportunity to view the other students responses and discussion to develop a better understand of what is being asked or discussed. This kind of communication requires the students to use a computer which is a skill that is necessary in today’s world even if they do not have one at home. By utilizing the computer lab at school or in a library they are enhancing their technology skills as well.

Journal #2 "Social Networking for the K-12 Set" by Jim Klein

In the article “Social Networking for the K-12 Set” by Jim Klein the author states that the leaders in technology in education are always trying to find new ways to incorporate technology in the classroom and eliminate the typical boundaries of classroom. The author believes that the traditional geographical and social boundaries prevent communication and do not promote collaboration among both educators and their students. Some of the issues with incorporating technology into the classroom are security, complexity and cost.  

The creation of the SUSD Teacher and Student Community sites or as the author called them, “learning landscapes” the resources and tools that students and educators would need would be available to them and the communication between the education community would improve and technology would bring value to the students, teachers ultimately increase collaboration. Some of the benefits of these sites are to provide the opportunities to discuss social, ethical and legal issues, create effective learning environments, provide approachable and easy to use environments where students and teachers can use technology to create and share ideas and information, and finally establish workgroups that would be driven based upon efficient communication.

Question #1 – How would I encourage my students to use this site to enhance their education?

I would utilize this site in my lesson plans by having the students create blogs where they can have an online journal and communicate with myself and their peers. This allows communication outside of the classroom. I would also have a class website where students can post their work. I think that when students have the opportunity to utilize technology and are given directions and instructions so they are comfortable using it and don’t get frustrated that it can be a great tool and benefit them later in life when they are in the work force or in a real world situation where technology is used often.

Question #2 – How would I use this site as a future educator?

I would use this site to communicate with both students and parents. Technology is a great way to communicate outside of the classroom. I can keep students informed and parents as well on the status of their work, what is happening in the classroom and what we are learning about weekly or monthly so that parents can support me by continuing to help students with their work at home. I would also utilize technology to collaborate with my peers. It would be great to share ideas and lesson plans with other teachers.

Journal #1 Intro Letter

My name is Jennifer Clottu and I was born and raised in San Diego, CA. I have lived all over San Diego. I grew up in Bay Park and went to School of the Madeleine through the eigth grade and then my parents moved us to Poway. I went to Poway High School and played volleyball. Once I graduated I moved up to San Luis Obispo by myself and went to Cuesta Junior College. I did not last long up there and moved back after my first semester. I don't think I was not ready to be away from home and missed San Diego. I came back and went to every junior college in San Diego until I finally transferred to Cal State San Marcos. I worked every night at Donovans through school and lived in Pacific Beach which was a lot of fun. I graduated with a literature and writing degree and always wanted to pursue my teaching credential but wanted a break from school. So I entered the work force and have been an account executive for 3 different banks in the last five years. I enjoy sales but am ready for a change.

I have always loved computers and technology. I was lucky to have a computer when I was young and always seemed to be exploring and learning on it. It has helped me to be technologially savvy in school and in the work force. I use a computer every day and it is an essential tool that I use for my job. I also use the internet for convienence too. I use it to shop, do research, stay in contact with friends and to chat with my husband throughout the day. I bought a mac laptop about a year ago and cannot believe I did not have one sooner because it is so cool. I still use a PC for work so I am able to go back and forth but I love the mac for different reasons than I use the PC. I really enjoy itunes, iphoto and iweb. It allows me to be creative and it allows me to make my own website and manage my photos. I am currently using an older version of word on both the mac and pc so I have not had difficulty switching over to the newer version yet.

I am very excited to be in the credential program here at Cal State San Marcos and am even more thrilled to be a teacher soon. One of the reasons I chose to get my credential here is because of the mission statement of the college of education. I am determined to become an educator that makes a difference and transforms education through my work. I will be able to do that by incorporating technology into all aspects of teaching in the classroom. By incorporating technology, I will better prepare my students for the real world and they will have a lot of fun during the learning process!