I think that Web 2.0 technologies are a great way to enhance learning and better communication in the classroom. By using such tools as Wiki or blogs, teachers can keep in contact with parents and inform them about grades, school news, or other concerns. This will really encourage parents to be involved in their child's education. I also believe that social bookmarking will help me as a teacher. I can stay organized by storing and categorizing web pages and files as well as exchange content with others.
I do not think that Wikipedia is the best choice to use as a learning resource. Many students find the site handy because its quick, simple, and right to the point, but often times there is a lot of incorrect or biased information. Anyone is allowed to post on Wikipedia so there is no way to know how accurate the information is. While it may be okay to use to find a quick answer such as a date or name, for a majority of academic work, other qualified sources would be much better.
This past week we learned about presenting information through power point. Though I have used this program many times before, I did not know about all of the things of which it is capable. I think this will be an extremely useful tool when I become a teacher and I expect that I will frequently use it to create lessons. I think it is a really great way for students to learn because power point provides opportunities for visuals as well as sounds.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Blog Post #5
I think that the Internet can be a very useful tool in supporting research so long as students learn to use effective search strategies and to question the validity of the information. Students must ask themselves, "Who wrote this?" and is it an expert? Also, is the information based on facts or is it simply one's opinion? To increase the chances of quality research it is important to know which symbols to use in search engines to obtain what you are looking for. There is a lot of inaccurate information on the web but if students follow these steps the internet can be very useful.
Not only can the internet be used to obtain research information, it can also be used for other educational purposes as well. I think that the virtual field trip websites would not only be informative, but also fun for younger aged children. I would also make use of tutorials to teach specific topics or websites where students can practice and be quizzed on what they have learned. In addition, online video clips could be helpful for students who are visual learners and like to see examples.
I think that at every grade level there are concerns for teachers who are working with students in a technology environment. At all ages I would be concerned about the viewing of inappropriate websites. Although most schools have blocks on particular websites, sometimes an innocent search can bring up inappropriate material. For older students who are working on research papers, I would definitely harp on copyright issues. Plagiarism is not something that is taken lightly and sometimes students don't even realize they are doing it.
Not only can the internet be used to obtain research information, it can also be used for other educational purposes as well. I think that the virtual field trip websites would not only be informative, but also fun for younger aged children. I would also make use of tutorials to teach specific topics or websites where students can practice and be quizzed on what they have learned. In addition, online video clips could be helpful for students who are visual learners and like to see examples.
I think that at every grade level there are concerns for teachers who are working with students in a technology environment. At all ages I would be concerned about the viewing of inappropriate websites. Although most schools have blocks on particular websites, sometimes an innocent search can bring up inappropriate material. For older students who are working on research papers, I would definitely harp on copyright issues. Plagiarism is not something that is taken lightly and sometimes students don't even realize they are doing it.
Blog Post #4
I think that the concepts presented in chapter seven will be very useful for teaching language arts and how to write stories and papers. Because I plan on teaching elementary aged students, I think that Kidspiration would be a good tool to have them use to create idea maps. I could have them try to fill in blank maps that I have created and then have them play around with the software to get a better feel for it.
I will definitely encourage my students to develop outlines and idea maps before producing a final product. Outlines are a relatively easy and comfortable way for students to organize their ideas and plan a logical sequence of events. Idea maps will help children plan carefully so they will not have to waste time with false starts and so they can realize quickly if their plan is unworkable. In addition, idea maps help students form links between ideas so they can remember things easier.
I believe that the new web hunting skills I have acquired in the last week will be very helpful for when I begin teaching. I have learned more effective ways to search for topics that will no doubt save me time such as searching within google scholar and through databases on the fsu library site. Also, the web hunt assignment introduced me to new teaching tools such as websites for generating calendars or creating my own site to post grades and assignments.
I will definitely encourage my students to develop outlines and idea maps before producing a final product. Outlines are a relatively easy and comfortable way for students to organize their ideas and plan a logical sequence of events. Idea maps will help children plan carefully so they will not have to waste time with false starts and so they can realize quickly if their plan is unworkable. In addition, idea maps help students form links between ideas so they can remember things easier.
I believe that the new web hunting skills I have acquired in the last week will be very helpful for when I begin teaching. I have learned more effective ways to search for topics that will no doubt save me time such as searching within google scholar and through databases on the fsu library site. Also, the web hunt assignment introduced me to new teaching tools such as websites for generating calendars or creating my own site to post grades and assignments.
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