Assessing Meaningful Learning with Technology

Our world seems to run on technology these days. I mean everything is done electronically AND I MEAN EVERYTHING! Down to communicating to a person who may be sitting in the very next room! Cough cough TEXTING! So why not make technology more useful and use it in classrooms to assess?  My favorite this week is Insperation, which integrates visual learning through technology. Yes, we shouldn't completely do away with living, breathing, human beings BUT using technology to make learning more meaningful is GREAT!



Web 2.0 tools was the highlight of my Integrating Technology  class.  Using web tools such as this blog in my classroom never even crossed my mind. Now I have so many great ideas on how I will use these tools to enhance the learning experience and relationship with my students, parents, and other teachers.

Technology Applications Standards

§112.11. Science, Kindergarten, Beginning with School Year 2010-2011.

(a)  Introduction.

(1)  Science, as defined by the National Academy of Sciences, is the "use of evidence to construct testable explanations and predictions of natural phenomena, as well as the knowledge generated through this process."

(2)  Recurring themes are pervasive in sciences, mathematics, and technology. These ideas transcend disciplinary boundaries and include patterns, cycles, systems, models, and change and constancy.

(3)  The study of elementary science includes planning and safely implementing classroom and outdoor investigations using scientific processes, including inquiry methods, analyzing information, making informed decisions, and using tools to collect and record information, while addressing the major concepts and vocabulary, in the context of physical, earth, and life sciences. Districts are encouraged to facilitate classroom and outdoor investigations for at least 80% of instructional time.

(4)  In Kindergarten, students observe and describe the natural world using their five senses. Students do science as inquiry in order to develop and enrich their abilities to understand scientific concepts and processes. Students develop vocabulary through their experiences investigating properties of common objects, earth materials, and organisms

(Source: Texas Education Agency at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/)

How I will use these TEKS in my class:

At this young age science needs to be fun!  (1) I will introduce what science is to my class.  Science time will be the most fun for me because I want to dress like a scientist with the lab coat, goggles, and gloves. Dressing like a scientist is a great introduction to science safety too! You have to grab the student’s attention right off the bat. (2) I will have a whole science center in my classroom. I want volcano models, posters of weather cycles, an electric solar system mobile, and a bunch of hands on science gadgets. Going on the field trips to the science museum were my favorite elementary.  Being able to dig dinosaur bones and going into the room with the star show was amazing! Now with the technology of projectors and smart boards I will so have the solar system projected on my class ceiling when that lesson comes about.  So many things teachers can bring into the classroom to teach about the cycles in nature. (3) Again, posters and models of science safety is a must. It can be hard for even a college student to remember the proper way to hold a microscope or remember to put on goggles before using chemicals, so colorful posters of science safety is a must in my classroom. I would like my students to keep a journal of science lessons. After the lesson I would like to have students write and illustrate what they have learned and maybe have them take notes for observations of experiments to develop their hypothesis. I would also like to expand my science lab to the great outdoors; so many things to learn outside the classroom and the kids love it! (4) Vocabulary will always be connected with each subject in my class. I think mixing ideas and vocabulary with other subjects help students relate and better understand what and why they are learning.

My Favorite Science TEKS

My favorite and the most important TEKS for science are 1&2.  First students need to know what science is.  The introduction to what science can be the most important lesson in this subject.  We have to grab these kiddo’s attention right off the bat or we will lose them for the remainder of all science lessons.  Dress up like a scientist, ask them what they know about science, and maybe talk like a mad scientist.  The next most important of the TEKS would be including patterns, cycles, systems, models, and change and constancy.  I am a visual learner so having models and charts will not only help my visual learners learn, it will help me remember what to teach! Keeping the science center updated and interesting will keep science fun and exciting. KIDS LIKE NEW! Bring in new gadgets the kids can play with and put up new posters for your science center…maybe include some books related to that week’s lesson.  I am sure all the TEKS are important but those have been my favorite because that’s where I believe I can be most strong in for science.

Visualizing with Technology

I am a visual learner! Yes, I can't even get to a new place without being there a few times. You can ask my husband about this. I will have to be the one to take him to work in downtown Dallas for the next six months since his seizure and he hasn't been a happy passenger.  He is constantly getting on to me for forgetting to take the right exits. I will eventually get the hang of it. At least I don’t have to read a map. I read something and just end up with a blank look on my face as if I didn't read a darn thing.  When I read a book, most of the time I pray that there is a movie that goes with it just to make sure I understood the point.  So visual learning is the way to go for me!  I bet I could have gotten a lot further in school if the technology was available as much as it is today. 

Technology has a great impact on visual learning.  It has brought the opportunity to reach children who have a hard time learning by just direction or reading chapters from a book.  I have seen microscopes now that you can hook up to a monitor or TV and you are able to see cells and tiny organisms! Concepts can be better understood now, like the movement of flagella and their parts.  Technology allows us to create diagrams, charts, and graphs to show visuals of information. I believe things are better learned with the aid of visuals such as these. As humans we start out learning visually so why not continue to learn this way using technology to enhance it? Great idea or what?

Podcasting for the Classroom

I learned that a podcast is a digital medium consisting of an episodic series of audio, video, PDF, or ePub files subscribed to and downloaded through the web.  A really cool way I have seen podcast used is for airing lessons online for my online classes at DBU.  I have also seen friends use them as a way to have their own sort of news and story radio series like how some use YouTube.  In the classroom I would use podcast to record lessons for parents who are interested in what we are learning about at school that week.  I could also use podcast to introduce myself to parents and staff.  Maybe a good interview tool when applying for teaching positions.

Podcasting and Web 2.0 are both useful tools when keeping in touch and for updates between friends and business.  I would say podcast is not as direct as Web 2.0 and I wouldn't use it to communicate between colleagues at work.  Web 2.0 I would use more for the business side of things.

I defiantly own an iPhone that I mostly use for music and communication.  I have not yet explored podcast through iTunes but it sounds like a pretty cool idea.  The advantages to online communication is that its always nice to have more than one way to communicate to others.  Online communication has been a great tool for me because I have a rather large family and my father is in the military.  The disadvantage is that it seems like the more online communication the less face to face communication we have.  Young people especially don’t communicate as well in person as they do online or through text messaging.  We deffinatly need to practice face to face communication and contact.

Reduce Reuse Recycle Lesson Plan

Reduce Reuse Recycle

Objective: Obtain an understanding of what litter is and why it is bad.

Materials: books, old clothes, toys, aluminum cans, receipts, candy wrappers, potato chip bags, plastic bottles and other garbage and recyclables.

Lesson:

1. Throw objects such as candy wrappers, toys, books, aluminum cans and old clothes onto the classroom floor. Materials that can be recycled or reused.

2. Have children watch as you throw objects onto the floor, act as if you don’t care that you are littering. Don’t be afraid to talk to yourself and sigh. The students will really enjoy your performance.

3. Allow students to walk through garbage.  Be theatrical!

4. Ask students to imagine how unpleasant life would be if we continue to throw objects and trash onto the ground without cleaning it up.

5. Lead discussion

Possible Questions include:

·         By throwing my trash onto the floor did I do anything wrong?

·         Are my actions harming anyone or anything?

·         If so, what would you do?

6. Ask students to correct your mistakes by placing objects that are trash into the trashcan and objects that can be recycled into the recycling bin. If they don’t know where some things go, explain where and why they go in that particular spot.

7. Once all of the objects have been put into either the trashcan or the recycling bin, ask the class to tell you if each object was put in the correct place. If all of the items have been put into the correct place:

·         Tell the student that the potato chip bags, candy wrappers and plastic bags have to be placed into the trashcan because it cannot be made into something else.

·         Tell students that the aluminum cans and the plastic bottles were placed into the recycling bin because they can be used to make something else.

·         Tell students that the clothes, toys and books cannot be recycled, but they can be used again.  Explain that there are other children who would love to have their used books and toys

A little video on Reduce Reuse Recycle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DJ45Yc3urg

Project:

How to make your own robot out of recyclables:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4WLDAKZ5Kw

SIMPLE ROBOTS FROM JUNK

What could be better than robots made from a cardboard box or a soda can? There’s no real “robotic” behavior, but make it your own! Maybe you can add wheels from old broken toys to make it go!

Collect recyclable things from around your house like cardboard boxes, soda bottles, and caps. Put them all together and design your own robot. Decorate it with markers and paint.

You Did It! You have created your own recycle bot. Show him to your friends and explain why it is cool to recycle!

Reflection:

This third grade science lesson uses technology with Bloom’s Taxonomy levels of evaluating and remembering.  Children will not only evaluate why we need to recycle by watching the teacher make a mess in the classroom they will also watch a music clip to help them remember. Putting songs and images with your lessons can really help children understand and remember what they learned. The students analyze when they participate in the class discussion about why we need to recycle. Children will apply themselves by creating their own recycle bot out of recycled items around their homes and in their classroom. Hands on crafts like the recycle bot will help the children apply and understand the importance of keeping the earth clean and what kinds of things we can create out of what we might normally throw away.  This lesson uses the musical and visual parts of Dr. Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligence by including the music clip and the clip on how to build your own recycle bot. Also the demonstration when the teacher makes a mess in the classroom is a great way to use Gardner’s visual part theory of multiple intelligence.  The best way for me to learn was to see it and then put a song or rhyme to what I learned, so I think this lesson plan would really help students who may learn easier with visual and musical tools.

Web 2.0 and I

Web 2.0 describes World Wide Web sites that use technology beyond the static pages of earlier Web sites. Although Web 2.0 suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specification, but rather to increasing changes in the way Web pages are made and used. A Web 2.0 site may allow users to interact with each other in a social media dialogue as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to Web sites where people are limited to the passive viewing of content. With the use of any kind of online technology we must also go back to my past discussion CYBER SAFETY. With all the new tools that come with Web 2.0 like social networking and video sharing, teacher must be up to date on how to monitor our students more closely.

Examples of Web 2.0”

ü  Social Networking Sites

ü  Blogs

ü  Wikis

ü  Video sharing sites

ü  Hosted services

ü  Web applications

ü  Potential Benefits of Web 2.0 Tools

The benefits of using Web 2.0 tools and technologies in the classroom are abundant. Educators are using Web 2.0 tools to promote new avenues of communication among teachers, students, and the community in ways that can strengthen the community of learners. When the assignment is meaningful and supports the learning objectives, Web 2.0 tools are being used to increase communication (not just dissemination of information) in ways that strengthen the educational community and help to center classroom-and out-‐of-‐classroom-conversation on issues and topics that support and deepen learning. The main way I plan to use Web 2.0 in my future classroom is to keep in contact with the parents of my students. I will use my Blogger and ePortfolio for sure. Parents want to know who is teaching their children and what we are teaching them.

Copyright, Fair Use & Online Safety

Copy Right & Fair Use for Students

It is our jobs as educators to set an example for students to share our knowledge to students about fair use and copyrights.  A lot of detail can get a little confusing, even for an adult. Even though there is so much more to copyrights I have always said to myself don't use it if it is not yours and give credit to who ever came up with the ideas you are sharing.  I think the best way to explain copyrights to young children is telling them to think about cheating on a test or turning in work that someone else did.  Ask your students how they would feel if someone stole their hard work and turned it in without giving them any kind of credit. 

The number one way to teach this important issue today is by setting good examples for your students and fellow teachers by respecting copyrights and by following the fair use rules.

Cyber Safety

 This is the number one and most important topic to teach to our  students and even our parents. It amazes me how even adults neglect safe use of the internet.  It is so easy to even put our children in danger when using the internet.  Posting pictures to the web like on Facebook or Twitter can be very dangerous when not being cautious of how your images are being shared.  Predators are now able to locate you and your loved ones through your posts and the posts of your pictures.  Teachers need to be especially cautious if ever using photos of their students.  We always need to have permission from parents before sharing images anywhere.  Friends may not appreciate you posting pictures either, SO ALWAYS ASK FOR PERMISSION!  

• Know how your personal information is being shared by checking settings on your computer and online accounts. (Location tracking & who is allowed to see posts and pictures) 
• Never share your personal information with strangers. 
• Change your passwords regularly for all your accounts 
• Know what sites your children and students are visiting.
• Set limitations on your computer for what websites are available to young users.
• Teach students about cyber safety!!!

 Don't know where to start? Click on the link below. It's a great tool for teacher and parents to use when teaching children about cyber safety.

http://www.netsmartz.org/

Netiquette

Yes, there is proper etiquette for the internet! Do you share that your mother cheated on her diet last night? Do you post pictures of your friends picking their nose without them knowing? Well that is just RUDE!!!! I think netiquette goes really well when trying to avoid cyber bullying.  Following proper netiquette can keep you and others out of harms way.  The first thing to think about before sharing something online is to think if what I am about to share would hurt someones feelings.  Would your mama be proud of what you just posted?  Could this possibly get you fired if your boss sees?  Following the basic netiquette guidelines can protect you and others from cyber bullying as well.  

Teach your students and friends about netiquette!

Boston Public Library Netiquette for Kids, 2001 at http://www.bpl.org/kids/learn/netiquette-for-kids/

Cyber bullying

We all know that bullying is no fun and especially when it is happening to you.  Cyber bullying is taking bullying to the next level with the use of the internet. It is enough just being picked on in the classroom at school so, imagine it being magnified where even parents and strangers have been able to join in the bullying.  As teachers we need to be aware of any type of bullying going on in our schools and we should never ignore it. Some cases of bullying and cyber bullying can turn into a matter of life and death.  No one likes to be picked on so we shouldn't pick on others.  AGAIN, always put yourself in that other person's shoes before sharing information about them, using their work, and if what you might be sharing could hurt this person in any way at all. 

Nip all bullying in the bud! Please educate yourself and your students on cyber bullying.  You could be saving someones life. 

I really liked this link shared for our blogging assignment.  It was very clear and helpful.  Would be great to use in a classroom and when teaching parents about cyber bullying.

http://www.bullying.co.uk/

Summary of what I learned this week

I think I knew a lot of what the topic was about this week except about the copyrights.  There are so many specifics when it comes to copyrights and when it is okay to use something.  I really liked how one of websites linked for copyrights said it's not always about money when it comes to using other people's work, it's simply and for the most part just giving them the credit they deserve.  Net safety, cyber bullying, and netiquette are really important things to discuss with our children.  Everyone should be aware of the proper and safe ways to use the internet because even adults find themselves in trouble when not using proper safety and etiquette online.  Teachers always need to be the example in the class and on the street. We are will be who these children see for most of the week. What we do and how we act has a huge impact in their lives.  We gotta' protect these kiddos.