SmartBoard

Hi everyone! I am sincerely hoping that our last class is all about the SmartBoard. I am very intimidated by it (especially with all the problems we had during our PowerPoint presentations). But I am totally looking forward to learning how to use it though. I think it is a great piece of technology (when it works properly). I have been in several classrooms where teachers have used it appropriately and I think it is a wonderful tool.

One of the best uses I have seen was in my second grade field placement classroom. The teacher used  the ”random student selector” feature and used it to keep track of who she has called on, making sure everyone got a turn. I think teachers sometimes get caught up in lessons and find themselves always calling on the same participating students. With the help of SmartBoard, not only can the teacher keep track, but the students too.  

I have also seen the SmartBoard used to read a book to a group of students. I know, especially in early childhood, children have a tough time seeing the book. They often have to get up, move around, call out “Hey! I can’t see!”, etc. With the help of SmartBoard, the teacher can project the book in a much larger fashion so that everyone can see!

How will you plan on using SmartBoard?

 

RSS Feeds

I have to admit, after reading the posted articles, I am still a little confused about RSS feeds. I mean I guess I get the jist of them. But I feel like I would do better seeing/using them in action. The second article by Eileen Parzek, A Beginner’s Guide to RSS was the better article, in my opinion. I feel like she explained it a little better. I liked her analogy of thinking about an RSS like a tailored webpage that shares only stuff that is of interest to you.

I could definitely see how an RSS feed would work on a website like CNN or other such news feed. For me, most news is just way to depressing. By creating an RSS feed for a news website, I could filter out the negative news and only read about the good stuff like the firefighter who saved the kitten stuck in a tree. Ok, ok so that might be a bit of a stretch, but you get my point.

My question to you is, how would an RSS feed work in the education world? More specially, your own classroom?

Podcast

When we were learning about podcasts in class, I was like “oh no!” As you all can tell by my previous blogs, I am not so hot with technology. There were so many things that could go wrong! Plus our lesson was a few weeks ago. Will I ever be able to remember how to put it all together? At first, it was a bit of a struggle. But then I found a “refresher course” on ehow.com.

I ended up reading a story for my podcast. I think it turned out pretty well for a first time recording. I read “Click Clack Moo Cows That Type.” So when I wanted the students to turn the page, I entered a typewriter ding. I also added a few other supplemental sounds, like a diving board and an applause. Was it perfect? No! But like I said, it wasn’t as bad as I thought and with practice, I think it will only get better!

Podcasting is a great tool! I love the idea of using it to teach a lesson to a child who is absent. I could put it on my website and they could access it from home and never miss a beat when it comes to classroom instruction. As always, podcasting is a tool, not a teacher. So I am sure when the student returned to class he/she may have a question or two. But it definitely beats having to reteach everything to a particular student. He or she will get the jist of the lesson on his or her own time.

Podcasts, in my opinion, are a great invention!

Cyberbullying

I absolutely LOVED the article “Cyberbullying for Educators!” I think it is something everyone should read. It shed a lot of informative light on a very serious topic.

I know what cyberbullying is, but I admit that it was an artificial understanding. I didn’t realize that there were so many forms, nor did I realize the seriousness of the matter. I guess I kind of thought about it like “I-know-it-exists-but-it-doesn’t-affect-me” kind of attitude. But in reality, it does affect me, especially as a future educator! I need to be able to realize cyberbullying in ALL of its forms and I need to know what I can do to make it stop. I guess what they say is true; “knowledge really does equal power.”

If and when I get hired, I would like to become involved in developing and implementing my school’s policy. I know what it’s like to be bullied, but to be bullied “anonymously” 24/7 is ridiculous. I would never wish that upon anyone! Sign me up, I want to be a part of the answer to this horrible situation.

Research Paper- 3P Learning Model and Social Media

So I admit, this was not one of my best papers. I picked a topic that I thought would be very interesting but the deeper I dove in, the more I felt like I was drowning. I think a learning model is a lot to get into for just one research paper. Anyway, I ended up writing my paper on the 3P learning model and social media.

The 3P learning model is a new method of teaching Technology Enhanced Learning. This particular method was designed to help keep up with the information age of the 21st century. information, and thus knowledge, is ever-changing and by the time a textbook is released, it’s just about out-dated. The 3P learning model has 3 major components Participation, Personalization, and Knowledge-Pull. By introducing social media to these components, students will be able to learn the most up-to-date information available.

I, personally, like the 3P learning model. I can totally see how making information personal and engaging, and then teaching someone to actually pull out the knowledge and apply it, would give me evidence as a teacher that they have indeed learned the material. Then by adding social media to the mix, I feel like you get the best that technology has to offer.

Information on the Web is readily updated and accessible. When someone introduces a website like WordPress to the classroom, you can type in a word that interests you (personalization) like “weather” and then you have just created a community of blogs and information (participation)about weather. Then you have to be able to decipher the accurate and/or applicable information you are looking for.

I think that the 3P learning model is on to something here. What about you? As teachers, will you employ social media websites in your classrooms? What about the 3P learning model?

Technology for Early Childhood

As a first time mom, I try to educate myself on everything I can in order to be the best mom I can be for my son. One of the magazines I subscribe to is Parenting and in their online edition, you can find Screen Play, a blog by Jeana Lee Tahnk, about technology for kids and their families. One of her recent posts http://www.parenting.com/blogs/screen-play/jeana-lee-tahnk/tech-tiny-tots-interactive-websites-babies lists several websites designed especially for young children.

I really enjoyed http://www.kodomogames.com/, mostly because it was free, but also because it seemed to keep my son’s attention for the longest period. He loved all the bright colors and was very fascinated by the animal matching game. Of course at four months old, he could not navigate the site, but with a little help from me, he really seemed to enjoy his first dose of technology.

With that said, he will not be posting to his own Facebook any time soon. As I mentioned in my last blog, I think we need to be careful with oversharing. I can’t tell you how many of my friends have created social media websites for their children and all I can think about is how this will affect them in the future. Who knows if little Johnny will want his “first poopy diaper” posted for the entire world to see? But for my child, I will leave it up to him to decide when he is old enough. Until then, his pictures naked baby pictures will be staying in the photo album.

What do you think? How early should babies be interacting with technology? Are sites like those Tahnk spoke of any interest to you? Or should parents wait until children are older to introduce their babies to websites?

The Scariest Tech Trend of 2012

Maybe I can write it off to being a new mom, but after reading “The Scariest Tech Trend of 2012″ on CNN, I can’t help but scream! At the festival, South By Southwest Interactive, companies get together to unveil their newest technology creations, apps, etc. Well, the new trend seems to be letting everyone on God’s green earth know where you are at, at just about every second of the day. Can someone say, kidnap/stalk me now?

The article mentions “oversharing” and I have to agree. Not only are you sharing with to the people you know, but what about the ones you don’t? As I was reading the article, I just kept picturing myself as a child with my mother leaning over me and telling me that I am not supposed to talk to strangers. These new apps give me the chills. Maybe it’s because I never got into Foursquare, but I just do not feel comfortable letting the entire world know where I am at every second of the day.

The only good I can see coming out of this new trend is meeting new people with your common interests, but even then I think there are safer ways to accomplish this goal. What do you all think of this new trend? Will you be first in line for the Sonar, Glancee, or Higlig.ht apps?