Blog # 5

Hi Class!
I wanted to say that last class on february 21, 2007 was actually quite fun. I loved creating my own powerpoint and being able to use word art and create the background. I found it most useful because I work at a dealerhsip and sometimes they ask me to create coupons for our website and even flyers for advertisements, so learning some of the tips like not to use neon blue, was actually beneficial. The part of the power point that I truly got a kick out of was the examples of Bad Powerpoints. In all honesty, I've actually done a few of those things on our service website like the noise to bring attention, I never realized how annoying they are. I learned valuable information. It was a powerful presentation becuase It's now a week later and I can still remember the information. I also enjoyed the presentation when our teacher demonstrated everything we could do to make our powerpoint useful and purposeful.

As for the reading, I thought the information was very useful. I found it so amazing that 95% of all test questions only ask students to think at the lowest possible level. I didn't realize that recalling information is the lowest possible form of testing someone. After reading his breakdown it seemed so clear but before I had read it, it never dawned on me. The second area of easiest testing is comprehension, this shocked me becuase I had always thought comprehension was the hardest skill to master. Even to this day I have problems with it. Although I could see how argue your oppinion on a reading that you did was much more difficult because in a sense you are putting memorization and comprehension and life into one argument. I thought this article showed me a lot. I realize that I do ask my own reading group students to answer questions where they have to draw inferences, but I personally find that I am uncomfortable when grading questions that have open ended answers. So, I do see why grading for fact recall is the most popular way, maybe not the most beneficial for students, but definitely the most easiest for teachers. I was impressed and learned a lot from his breakdown of how to test students and strengthen their reading/ retell of stories. I found it important becuase it took me all this time to learn and realize that even though it may be easier as a teacher to ask fact retell questions it's not helping my students in the long run. THis is an article that I will definitely keep, it will come in handy for planning lesson plans in my reading group.

Blog # 4

First, I'd like to start out by saying that it took me about 3 or 4 minutes to find the article on iste.org site. But once I did, I enjoyed reading this article. I noticed they learned a few lessons from our "Newsletter aide," seeing that they put the article in three columns for easier reading :) Now that we have that out of the way.... Let's get to the article....

I found the article to be very informative. I do agree that science is a visual subject, but by incorporating technology into the subject it's adding to the lesson. The standard that this "Causal mapping" is incorporating into the science lesson is a very important one and it is Cause and Effect. Students usually demonstrate this concept during a reading or compression lesson. It's great and very time efficient to be able to use both concepts in one lesson. The idea of being able to let the students go on virtual field trips intrigues me. I am fasinating by that. Especially seemed the article gave me the impression that they are really life-like. Virtual field trips can be a good thing on many levels, the first being every child in the classroom can attend, no hassel of struggling to get all the permission slips back in time, no stressing about who will volunteer to go on the field trips and what parents gets which kids, no worrying about behavior problems once on the field trip or even worse accidentally forgetting a child. These virtual field trips seem to cut out a lot of stress for teachers. Also, the children get motivated and want to collect data plus, it's not a one day event, they can pause the virtual field trip and therefore be more accurate about the data that they found. These sixth grade teachers wrote about causal mapping and science so that even I was motivated, and if I'm motivated I know that my students will be. I liked the fact that they didn't only pin point positives of this technology science lesson they expressed the down points. For instance, a teacher remarked " Instead of trying to guide the students or hint to the right answer, I ask probing questions to get them to thing about the relationships." I liked the honesty in that statement. It is very true, sometimes, it's a lot easier to hint or guide the students into the right answer rather then to have keep going back and forth to the data and hoping that they will eventually come up with the right answer. The concept mapping is a tool that I would like to use in my classroom one day. It reminded of the Inspiration website. I think technology can be a real positive feature to have in the classroom, It will be a change once I start using it and learning about it myself but I can see it has time saving and lesson combining options that can't be beat.

Blog # 4

Oh the Changes!!

Technology has really changed over the past 30 years. I'm sure some of my own teachers were just as amazed and excited about making flashcards on the computer along with creating multiple choice questions as todays' teachers are with creating newsletters and keeping track of grades on spreadsheets. It must have seemed so amazing to be able to use the same format over and over again instead of having to create new ones everytime, like it was on the typewriter. On the flipside to that early amazement was more than likely some apprehension to using it accompanied by fear or a lack of knowledge about technology. I think about as in the lack of knowledge and practice I have with these high tech computers now is probably comparable to the early teachers feelings towards computers back then. Knowing that gives me a sense of confidence and reassurance, that even though it looks hard now, the benefits will definitely outweigh the negatives. Also, it will eventually become easy the more I practice with technology. I can accept the fact that even though I am a teacher, I am still a learner. I shouldn't be looked down upon or held accountable if I don't know everything. I am only human. I couldn't really tell you if my teachers back then were computer savvy, but what I can say is that what looked like a challenge to them back then seems super simple compared to today's technology (I can't wait to see what's out there when my students are in college). I am in total agreement with this article when says that rather than having students use the regular pencil to paper learning strategy it is beneficial and motivational to have the children peer edit accross different schools via the internet. Teachers must always remain enthusiastic and excited to learn new innovative ways to teach children, it's this way in which will get kids to WANT to learn. For me, if learning technology is a way to enhance my students learning then count me in, it's worth all my effort to see a student want to learn. Plus, as a teacher my job learning is never finished, so long as they keep making new technology I will keep learning it.

Introduction

Hello My name is Lisa and this is my second time doing these assisnments. I don't know how but somehow my first profile got erased. It said that it timed out. I am kind of annoyed at that becuase it left me with a fear that these postings will be deleted as well. I love using to computers to write papers on, they are easier and more convienent than a typewriter as well as using computers to keep in contact with family, friends, peers and teachers. I haven't used a site for blogs only although I was on myspace for a year. I posted a couple of blogs so that friends could read about my life. That was fun for a while. I am not a computer genius but hopefully by the end of this class I will be more comfortable at using computer software. I know it's a good thing, it saves time and makes things more convienent but I find it so uncomforting to know that with the click of the wrong button all work can be done away with.