Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Challenge Based Learning Reflection
The Challenge Based Project was a really great introduction to Prezi presentations. It not only gave us the opportunity to research a certain challenge topic but also gave us the opportunity to work with Prezi. The group I was in chose to do our presentation on the dangers of texting and driving. We looked at the statistics associated with texting and driving, the laws surrounding texting and driving, the awareness about the dangers of texting and driving and also a few short videos clips concerning the topic. Using Prezi for our presentation was really nice because you can share the prezi with your groupmates allowing everyone to work on the project. This is especially nice since it is sometimes hard to schedule group meetings. Also Prezi is a new way of displaying information instead of powerpoint. There are no slides just one large formate that allows you to zoom in on different bits of information without ever leaving the full screen mode. Prezi also allows you to set up a path so by using the arrows keys you can move from on piece of information to the next. Prezi was easy to learn how to use and was definitely a breath of fresh air compared to powerpoint. Here is a link to my website where you can view my groups Prezi presentation.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Podcast Reflection #12: Another Autism Podcast
I decided to do another reflection on one of the autism podcasts that I listened to last week. I found them very interesting and such a great resource for parents who have children with autism. On this podcast the host talked with Megan Drane who is a photographer and owns Firefly Nights Photography. Megan has a son who is diagnosed with Asperger's. Before her son was diagnosed Megan was photographing families, children etc. but soon became interested in photographing children with autism. She knew the struggle that parents faced in capturing important moments and wanted to help. She said that she likes to photograph her own son not only to mark childhood milestones but also certain behaviors that he might be displaying. Some of the challenges that she says she faces when photographing children with autism is engagement. Getting the child to not only look at the camera but capture what she referred to as the "light in their eyes." Also, as with most children, it is difficult sometimes to get them to stay still. However, Megan mentioned that before she goes into a session she meets with the family and gets to know the child before they start snapping photos. She likes to learn if there are any sensory issues such as the click of the camera of bright flashes that might bother the child. Most importantly though she said it is important to find a "bribe" for the child!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Reflection # 11: Autism Podcast
The podcast I listened to today was one that was recommended to me by one of my teachers who teaches about special education. The podcast is about Autism and the host, Michael Bole, is a father of a son with Autism. On the podcast I listened to, Michael interviewed a guy by the name of Dan Tedesco who also has a son with Autism. Dan works for a company that produces apps specifically for children with Autism. The app they were discussing today is called Autism Track. This app is basically a journaling tool that allows caregivers to track how their child is doing throughout the day. Its purpose is to track the child's symptoms throughout the day, specific behaviors they are exhibiting, what treatment options they are being given, etc. By tracking this information it provides the parents with a better picture of what interventions and strategies are working for their child and which aren't. Autism Track is a tool that is suppose to help guide parents through the journey of Autism treatment. This app can also look at the types of medical treatments that are being used and how those are affecting certain behaviors and can also rate behaviors and symptoms that are exhibited during the day. Autism Track is network based and requires a server connection. This feature allows multiple caregivers access to the child so that more can be involved in treatment of the child. The data that is collected is reported in a numerical format and shows trend lines that are occurring.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Reflection #10: Salman Khan
This video that I watched with Salman Khan was really good. Salman is the founder of an online educational site called the Khan Academy. This website provides students and teachers all over the world with educational videos explaining things from basic math to the most difficult level of calculus and various other subjects also. Mr. Khan got started making these videos when he was tutoring his cousins. He would make videos for them and post them on Youtube. After looking at a lot of encouraging comments that he had received he thought he might be onto something and launched the Khan Academy.
The great thing about these videos is that the students can pause and replay any sections that they need to. They can work at their own pace and review videos as many times as they need to in order to understand that material. Many teachers have caught onto this website and are now utilizing it in their classrooms. Teachers said that they now give the online lectures as homework for students and then what used to be your traditional "homework" is done in the classroom. I think this is so awesome because how many times have we wanted our teachers assistance on our homework but haven't had that available. Now students do. Mr. Khan said it is a very humanizing experience and allows students and teachers more interaction and also interaction between peers.
Los Altos school district is now using the Khan Academy in place of the general math curriculum. The online academy gives students math problems and does not allow them to move onto the next level until they have completed 10 questions correctly in a row. Teachers can monitor students progress by looking at what they are stuck on; what problems they've had difficulty with, where they've paused the online lectures and what problems they have answered incorrectly. This allows teachers to better assist students.
The great thing about these videos is that the students can pause and replay any sections that they need to. They can work at their own pace and review videos as many times as they need to in order to understand that material. Many teachers have caught onto this website and are now utilizing it in their classrooms. Teachers said that they now give the online lectures as homework for students and then what used to be your traditional "homework" is done in the classroom. I think this is so awesome because how many times have we wanted our teachers assistance on our homework but haven't had that available. Now students do. Mr. Khan said it is a very humanizing experience and allows students and teachers more interaction and also interaction between peers.
Los Altos school district is now using the Khan Academy in place of the general math curriculum. The online academy gives students math problems and does not allow them to move onto the next level until they have completed 10 questions correctly in a row. Teachers can monitor students progress by looking at what they are stuck on; what problems they've had difficulty with, where they've paused the online lectures and what problems they have answered incorrectly. This allows teachers to better assist students.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Comic Strip Reflection
I recently had to create a comic strip for my educational technology class. The focus of my comic strip was on my area of concentration which is ESL (English as a Second Language). I used a really great site called Make Beliefs Comix. You do not have to sign in to use this site and best of all it is free!! Our ed. tech professor also provided us with lots of other great free sites to use to create our comics such as PikiKids, Comiqs, Be Funky and many more.
Online comic strip creation would be a great tool that you could use in your classroom. You could have your students use it to explain a new subject that you are studying, like a new math concept, history lesson or science project. If you are an art teacher you could spend time on comic strips and have students create their own. Also if you are an English or writing teacher you could use comic strips to help students practice writing a story or work on their persuasive writing skills by making the comic some sort of advertisement. Any way that you choose to use it, it is a great way for students to use their creativity and have a little fun at the same time!
Online comic strip creation would be a great tool that you could use in your classroom. You could have your students use it to explain a new subject that you are studying, like a new math concept, history lesson or science project. If you are an art teacher you could spend time on comic strips and have students create their own. Also if you are an English or writing teacher you could use comic strips to help students practice writing a story or work on their persuasive writing skills by making the comic some sort of advertisement. Any way that you choose to use it, it is a great way for students to use their creativity and have a little fun at the same time!
Podcast, Website & Blog Midterm Critiques
Part 1: Podcast
This past week we had the opportunity to critique two of our classmates websites and blogs. On each of our websites we had the chance to post a podcast that could have been done individually or with a partner concerning different online resources that we thought would be helpful/useful as future classroom teachers. Unfortunately only one of the classmates that I critiqued had posted a podcast so I will only be able to share from this. The first site discussed in their podcast was called Smithsonian Education for Students. This site allows students to search through different subject areas and also view artifacts at the same time. Each topic or area that they search through is centered around a specific museum such the American History Museum. Another cool resource that my classmate discussed is called Altapedia Online. This site gives students access to color maps that outline political and physical boundaries and gives information about that certain country such as religion, traditions, language, culture etc. Teachers can even access homework problems and additional resource links from the site. Lastly the podcast talked about Youtube which I thought was great! It is an obvious resource but I think it is one that is often overlooked and under-appreciated. Youtube gives you access to thousands of videos over anything you can possibly think of. It it not soley intertainment but also provides plenty of educational videos for teachers. Here is a link if you would like to listen to the podcast.
Part 2: Website/Blog
Looking at my classmates blogs and websites was a really great opportunity for me to view my classmates hard work and progress so far this semester. It was neat to see how other people put together their websites and the different forms of creativity and individuality that were expressed in each. The animotos on one of the my critiques websites were AWESOME! Here is a link to her website. They were very personal and I felt like they gave me a really good look into her life. If I was a student of hers and I checked out her website I would feel like I knew her a little more as a person versus just my teacher. There were also lots of pictures included of friends, family, things that she enjoys doing etc. These things held true for her blog also. After looking through her website I definitely want to take some more time to place a little bit more of myself in my website. The other website and blog I viewed were a great example to me of how to make a very professional website and blog. Their sites were a good mixture of personal and professional. You had the opportunity to get to know them a little better but also got a view of them as an educator. I would like to incorporate this same balance on both my website and blog.
This past week we had the opportunity to critique two of our classmates websites and blogs. On each of our websites we had the chance to post a podcast that could have been done individually or with a partner concerning different online resources that we thought would be helpful/useful as future classroom teachers. Unfortunately only one of the classmates that I critiqued had posted a podcast so I will only be able to share from this. The first site discussed in their podcast was called Smithsonian Education for Students. This site allows students to search through different subject areas and also view artifacts at the same time. Each topic or area that they search through is centered around a specific museum such the American History Museum. Another cool resource that my classmate discussed is called Altapedia Online. This site gives students access to color maps that outline political and physical boundaries and gives information about that certain country such as religion, traditions, language, culture etc. Teachers can even access homework problems and additional resource links from the site. Lastly the podcast talked about Youtube which I thought was great! It is an obvious resource but I think it is one that is often overlooked and under-appreciated. Youtube gives you access to thousands of videos over anything you can possibly think of. It it not soley intertainment but also provides plenty of educational videos for teachers. Here is a link if you would like to listen to the podcast.
Part 2: Website/Blog
Looking at my classmates blogs and websites was a really great opportunity for me to view my classmates hard work and progress so far this semester. It was neat to see how other people put together their websites and the different forms of creativity and individuality that were expressed in each. The animotos on one of the my critiques websites were AWESOME! Here is a link to her website. They were very personal and I felt like they gave me a really good look into her life. If I was a student of hers and I checked out her website I would feel like I knew her a little more as a person versus just my teacher. There were also lots of pictures included of friends, family, things that she enjoys doing etc. These things held true for her blog also. After looking through her website I definitely want to take some more time to place a little bit more of myself in my website. The other website and blog I viewed were a great example to me of how to make a very professional website and blog. Their sites were a good mixture of personal and professional. You had the opportunity to get to know them a little better but also got a view of them as an educator. I would like to incorporate this same balance on both my website and blog.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Reflection #9: Podcast
For my ninth podcast I listened to the Tech Chick Tips. On their lastest episode they discussed a variety of new tools and websites that they have discovered that are beneficial for educators.
The first tool they discussed can be used by educators from K-12 and all the way up to PhD level teachers. The Tech Chicks announced that Wiki Spaces are now offering free spaces for educators all the way to PhD's. The educator account on Wiki Spaces has been free for K-12 teachers for quite a while giving out a total 980,000 free spaces. This month they made it available for all levels of educators. These spaces are a great collaboration tool that can be used for editing, sharing what you know and best of all it is free and private. It is also extremely simple to use. The Tech Chicks said that if you can type in a word processor than you can use Wiki Spaces.
The next resource that the Tech Chicks mentioned was a critique or description of four ways to give short presentations online. This is a free tool for teachers to use on Free Tech for Teachers. The four tools that commentator of the site discussed were Big Markers, Zip Cast, Scriblar, Markers and Join Me. The descriptions and tools given are for free. They allow you to create a little room where you can interact with students, other educators etc.
The other resource discussed was one call Type With Me. This tool is a quick way to collaborate on a word document. It is similar to Google Docs in that it allows you to create a document, share it with others and work on it at the same time. However, unlike Google Docs you do not need an e-mail to login. You simply are given a unique URL that you can share. Everyone working on the document types in a different color and the site allows you a chat options while you are working. The finished file can be exported as an html, text file, PDF, etc. The only downside to this tool is that iPad users cannot yet type on the document, they can chat and view the progress but cannot contribute.
The next resource that the Tech Chicks really like was one called Web O'Word. This site posts a new word everyday. Along with the word you are given a visual that helps explain the word, the word is used in context and various information about the word is provided. There are also crossword puzzles that combine all the different vocabulary words used. You can print off the crossword puzzles or you can use them interactively online. The Tech Chicks said that the collection of words are really good, they aren't just simple words.
The first tool they discussed can be used by educators from K-12 and all the way up to PhD level teachers. The Tech Chicks announced that Wiki Spaces are now offering free spaces for educators all the way to PhD's. The educator account on Wiki Spaces has been free for K-12 teachers for quite a while giving out a total 980,000 free spaces. This month they made it available for all levels of educators. These spaces are a great collaboration tool that can be used for editing, sharing what you know and best of all it is free and private. It is also extremely simple to use. The Tech Chicks said that if you can type in a word processor than you can use Wiki Spaces.
The next resource that the Tech Chicks mentioned was a critique or description of four ways to give short presentations online. This is a free tool for teachers to use on Free Tech for Teachers. The four tools that commentator of the site discussed were Big Markers, Zip Cast, Scriblar, Markers and Join Me. The descriptions and tools given are for free. They allow you to create a little room where you can interact with students, other educators etc.
The other resource discussed was one call Type With Me. This tool is a quick way to collaborate on a word document. It is similar to Google Docs in that it allows you to create a document, share it with others and work on it at the same time. However, unlike Google Docs you do not need an e-mail to login. You simply are given a unique URL that you can share. Everyone working on the document types in a different color and the site allows you a chat options while you are working. The finished file can be exported as an html, text file, PDF, etc. The only downside to this tool is that iPad users cannot yet type on the document, they can chat and view the progress but cannot contribute.
The next resource that the Tech Chicks really like was one called Web O'Word. This site posts a new word everyday. Along with the word you are given a visual that helps explain the word, the word is used in context and various information about the word is provided. There are also crossword puzzles that combine all the different vocabulary words used. You can print off the crossword puzzles or you can use them interactively online. The Tech Chicks said that the collection of words are really good, they aren't just simple words.
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