Lesson 8

Wow, I can hardly believe this is our last class and post! As a student with a non-teaching background the information we’ve gathered has been valuable to me in preparation as a future teacher.  I think evaluating internet and computer safety is a great way to wrap up this class session.  While it’s great to utilize all the many tools we’ve gathered, we need to make sure we as teachers provide the utmost safety to our students. 

On a personal level we’ve all heard of stories of identity information being taken which can be quite damaging to a person.  Although this is of a different level than a school computer we much try to insure security on our personal computers as well.  This would also include if children have access to the computer and insuring that monitoring is in place.  There are times that sites may appear that aren’t at all intentional.  I have to share a personal experience of such a situation.  When I was a graduate student in the community nutrition program at EKU, one of our classes visited the computer lab to do some subject searches.  We each were at a different computer.  When we were asked by our instructor to do a search for breastfeeding, we were all in shock at the images and sites that were displayed in our search.  This instantly proved that something this innocent in an educational setting with educational intent could be taken in such a disturbing way.  On personal computer we can insure there is a program to detect viruses and periodic scans.  Although most of these programs require a fee or subscription, it is quite worth it to protect all the information we store on our computer.  There are also a variety of monitoring tools or blocking programs for children.  It’s also a great idea just to monitor your child on a computer by checking what they are viewing. 

Although I’m not a teacher at this time, I’ve been a student and I’ve seen some of the security measures in place.  If a university computer was used at the previous institution I attended, you were required to login with a secure password.  You were also encouraged to logoff your computer as well when done.  I’ve also experienced similar protection at workplace environments with computer use.  I was in the habit at a previous job to lock my computer when I left even briefly to protect myself and confidential client information.  That workplace had an IT department that monitored and provided support for the computer systems.

Some of the etiquette that we’ve discussed with internet use with students will be emphasized once I become a teacher.  I believe with proper support from the teacher and monitoring we can keep our students safe on a school’s computer system.  

I was a little nervous about the blog in the beginning, but it’s been a nice outlet for what we’ve learned each week.   I’ve also enjoyed reading some of the other’s as well.  Fall session her I come!

Lesson 7

I’m not in a teaching position yet, so I’ve been collecting all these technology ideas throughout this term to use in the future.  I can’t believe how many types of online tools are available out there, many I was not aware of.  Last week in my 537 course we talked about Edmodo.  Our professor is a principal and their school offers this system.  This is an idea I would like to participate in if the school I’m a part of offers it.  I really like the informational video on Edmodo’s site.  There’s no narrator, just someone actually using the site.  It gives a great visual of what you can do.  I like the site for teachers, students, and parents.  As a parent of an elementary school student, communication is vital.  The school website is a resource I visit often for assignment and announcement posts.  Edmodo allows teachers to post assignments, announcements, videos, and much more.  Student can posts assignments and a calendar is available to keep up with tasks.  Students can also receive badges for completing various tasks/assignments. 

I found the article “Video Games : Can They be Educational” interesting.  The various ways to incorporate gaming in education was helpful.  I must admit The Sims option sounded good in the reading portion of our assignment, but after reading more in this article it was a bit disturbing as a parent.  The fact that family members could die from various reasons resulted in them appearing as ghosts on the game.  I like the idea of learning to achieve planning and responsibility skills, but the death portion I could do without.  Especially considering it’s not a real life portrayal. 

The Dana Foundation was very enlightening in terms of the connection between the arts and brain development.  I think these are ideas that should be shared with schools and districts to prove the need for the arts in relation to cognitive development.  One article mentioned a specific school offering an after school arts program.  What a great creativity outlet for students.  I like this as opposed to a traditional day care/homework completion after school program. 

The webcast I chose titled “Staying Sharp: What to expect from the again brain” gave great information for all of us on how we need to stay active in several ways.  Staying sharp includes not only being mentally active, but also physically active.  Physical activity changes chemicals in our brain to repair and protect it.  Although many of us know that stress isn’t always easy to manage, the video focused on that some stress can be good to keep us motivated, but that too much can be harmful.  Social engagement was also another way to stay sharp.  Lastly tips for improving memory I’d like to share are the following:

·         Pay attention

·         Avoid multitasking

·         Write things down

·         Establish a routine

·         Relax (one of my favorites!)

Lesson 6

Build Your Plate Webquest:
http://questgarden.com/147/20/0/120805205144/

Being new to the education field and this being my first term at UC, Webquests were new to me.  I'm sure I've run across them in Internet viewing and searches.  I enjoyed learning more about them this week and how they can be used in a classroom.  I also like how we can share Webquests with other educators to utilize in our class. 
When building our webquest for our assignment, I chose a nutrition topic since I've been working in this area for the past several years.  In my daughter's school they have a picture of the My Pyramid guide which is great to see for the kids.  That's actually been revised to My Plate.  I based my webquest on this method.  I provided websites for the students to see the plate and what is involved in each section.  I'm a big believer that kids can have an impact in their homes on what they learn.  I included a statement on taking the plate they developed home so they could show their family what a healthy plate of food looks like.  They could even share the websites with family, if a computer was available, and go into more depth on the topic.  An additional website was provided for students to search at home on The Plate method.  This site also provided information on the former My Pyramid method. 
Challenges that I encountered included some of the basics.  First, this was a great experience being my first webquest developed.  Trying to brainstorm on a topic is an initial challenge.  Since I’ve worked in the area of nutrition I went with a topic in that area.  I’ll be certified in math in the future and would be more comfortable developing in that area once I’m teaching.  Once I decided on a topic, I had to find websites.  The first site from the USDA was one I was already familiar with having worked in a health department and being a dietitian, you become familiar on many of the government agency websites.  I was able to find some other kid specific nutrition sites regarding the My Plate method.  The evaluation section posed some difficulty since rubrics are also new to me.  I found it helpful to review some other webquests and how they set up their evaluation sections in terms of category wording.  Based on the webquest process, I set up the evaluation section on each task the students were to perform. 
Of course this is only the beginning with webquests.  It was very helpful going through the development process this time to learn the areas which I think will also get ideas flowing on future topics. 

Lesson 5

It's been a very informative week covering online communication tools.  Being new to the education field, many of the sites we explored were new to me.  Looking at the local district AUP was interesting considering some of the ideas/concepts we talked about.  Blogs were mentioned in the social networking accounts.  I thought it was beneficial to look at some of the other posts in the AUP discussion board.  The posts I looked at had phone usage mentioned in the policy.  I thought that was needed in the policy especially in this age where it's easy to become attached to a personal device like a mobile phone.  I also think there has to be guidelines in place for phone usage.  I see the benefit like with the polling we've discussed, but it's also a distraction for personal use. 

The Scorsese video gave a director's perspective of visual literacy which was enlightening.  I like how he shared his childhood experience and how this type of learning impacted his life and career.  Some of the posts I read on the discussion board mentioned like the video did, about incorporating movie type videoing with students and how what they are showing is telling a story.  He emphasized how film and images are powerful and students should be taught to interpret and use. 

The consumer resources I looked at on PBS were great information for students.  The sites I looked at were geared toward younger kids, but the message of what we see in advertising may not be as it seems, was interesting even for a grown-up.  I liked the information on food styling for food advertising.  Let it be said anything food related is fasinating to me as a dietitian.  I also liked the Authur videos on media literature.  These are good resources for teachers and parents.  Just Desserts was one that caught my eye on the awareness of food marketing for kids and knowing which foods are actually healthy. 

The websites for Mapwing, Befunky, and Blockposters were all new to me.  We've talked about mapping some in class which has been interesting to see how others have used them.  These are sites I believe I would visit again for educational and personal use.  I have to say each week I'm amazed at all the sites out there for education that I never knew existed.  As a new MAT student, it's exciting to see what we are being provided with to have in our toolbelt as we go out to our own classrooms.  It's also exciting for teachers already in the field to enhance what they are already doing. 

The Technology Explorations this week also gave me more perspective on all the educational resources available.  There were a variety of resources I wasn't familiar with like Jing, Glogster, Spicy Nodes, and Prezi.  I'm glad I was introduced to them and the ideas they bring to education.  Most of the sites mentioned in the explorations gave ideas on how students could also use.  I liked how the Spicy Nodes could be used by students to study for exams so concepts were more memorable.  The Math Dictionary for Kids was also a great site I could see using in a classroom to make charts and graphs for learning.  The students could also use at home if available.  Handouts could be made that were colorful for young students to learn math topics.  The site was easy to navigate and look through.  You Tube is a site I'm familiar with, however the School and Teacher versions were new to me as I'm new to this field.  I thought the idea of teachers teaching teachers on Teacher Tube was very uplifting.  It's comforting knowing that there's so many resources out there for teachers, especially for those of new entering the field.  The fact that students could use these sites as well in their studies was also good to know.  I think whatever we can provide students to encourage learning is vital aside from just studying notes.  I seen how much education has changed since I was a student.  It's truly amazing!

In terms of the ISTE NETS, for this week's content I thought the indicators below in standards #1 Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity applied:

b.Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources

c. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes

Lesson 4

PowerPoint

I actually very recently created a PowerPoint slideshow for a class I'm currently taking, "The Middle School."  Our assignment was to research the history of the middle school.  I'll be certified to teach middle school math, so researching this topic was very beneficial to me.  I grew up in an area where we had a middle school that was 5th-8th grade.  I've learned that the configuration of grades varies.  Many larger cities are going back to a K-8 system.  In the PowerPoint there were slides comparing junior high and middle school.  For this slideshow I used a PP program through my Windows Live account.  There were several backgrounds available.  I tried to pick a nondistracting template that I liked with neutral colors and a nice design.  The background for the slides is darker with the words being in white which would hopefully allow for a good viewing opportunity.  The resource section at the bottom of each slide was in a complementary bright green color.  I liked the table presentation in some of the slides that compared junior and middle schools.  I thought that would be a visually easy way to compare the two.  If I were to compile these slides again I would most likely include more historical information on the middle school in the beginning of the slideshow.  In this course we didn't actually present the material, we had to research then design the slides to show what we found. 

In terms of the TED website videos I viewed, I provided several comments on the discussion board.  I reviewed the comments left on my post and was encouraged to see that several classmates were concerned as I was with school lunches and math class presentation styles.  The video I found regarding my content area was "Math Class Needs a Makeover" by Dan Meyer.  I'm so glad I chose this video to watch as a new educator entering the math area.  I would also recommend this to any other new or seasonsed math teacher.  The speaker mentioned that it was a great time to be a math teacher.  That was encouraging in itself.  He said that we needed more patient problem solvers.  This was an easy statement to understand when he related this to how patient our students are in today's society of instant gradification.  I liked how he presented a problem that may be found in a textbook then takes away the distractions in the problem.  He encourages the students to do substeps in the problem.  Instead of a diagram of a figure in a problem, he actually took a picture of an actual object which makes sense so students can apply to a real life object. 

The other TED video I chose out of personal interest was the school lunch talk given by Ann Cooper who is a school foodservice director.  As a parent and Registered Dietitian I'm concerned about what the school system recognizes as a healthy meal to provide to our children.  She talked about obtaining foods within our region and buying local.  Including organic foods was also emphasized.  I also advocate what she mentioned about that we are responsible for what our kids eat and that children can't be responsible, they're kids.  The school she oversees now offers a sald bar which she was told when she began wouldn't be successful.  She said kids young and older like it.  The school offers cooking and gardening classes, which is wonderful.  She encouraged child involvement as with the gardening, so they may be directly linked to what they are eating.  Her dedication to her profession and school was admirable.  She reported to work each morning at 4am to cook for the children she served. 

In the technology explorations, the virtual manipulatives was interesting and a great resource for me as a future math educator.  I will definitely keep this site on file to involve technology in my classroom.  I'll be teaching middle school, but this is a resource for all educators K-12.  Most math teachers would be likely to be interested to incorporate some visual aids into their lessons. 

Lesson 3

Lesson 3
This Vacation Bible School at our church (Woodstock Baptist, Somerset) was the first year I had the honor to assist our pastor in the role of coordinator.  One of the things that I had to make in Microsoft Word is a class student list.  The form was pretty simple to make for teachers/assistants to track the children enrolled and if they were able to attend each of the five days.  One of the things I neglected to do on that sheet, which I soon realized was add a section for the teacher and assistants to be counted.  Our pastor needed a daily count of our students and volunteers.  I will include that image on this blog with the addition of the teacher/assistant name section so they may add names and check next to each day they attend.  I initially tried to make the form as simple as possible since it's an attendance sheet.  I did include a VBS clipart of the year's motto.  I have kept this file to use next year and I'll just have to change out the motto image. 


When I read this week's assignment I was comforted by the fact I've used word processor many times and can't imagine life without it whether in a job or as a student.  As the above example I've had to compile a sign up sheet quickly or make a flyer.  It's nice to have the resources at your fingertips.  I'm sure as a future educator I will continue to find these programs invaluable if not even more.  Especially with the DTP which I haven't used as much as WP. 

It's not been too long since I had looked at the revised Bloom's Taxonomy Pyramid.  I hadn't, though looked at the digital version.  I think once you see all the technology resources that encompasses the pyramid, you realize the essential statement it makes in our student's learning process.  We should then come to the conclusion that technology has to be incorporated into 21st century learning. 

The Technology Explorations provided some useful information on assistive technology, which I was somewhat familiar with after my work as a Nutrition Services Provider with First Steps.  There were also some online tools for educators and students on the 4teachers.org site.  That looked to be one of the explorations that I'll keep as a reference for when I'm in the classroom.  There were a few text to speech sites which were interesting to read more about and the fact that they can be used not necessarily for those with a special need, but also to enhance learning in other students as well.  I thought the librarian that used the text to speech for convenience since she looked at the computer so much and it provided the information without having to read it.  That's a great way to take advantage of the resources provided to us.  Webquest is a site I would like to become more familiar with and hopefully I'll have the opportunity in my upcoming teaching career.  As mentioned previously I feel passionate in these first few weeks about how we much integrate technology into our classes and this seems like a great way to do that.  The fact that it's in other parts of the world as well makes a clear statement of its success.

Lesson 2 Blog

A website I found in search of information on spreadsheets in the classroom is www.alicechristie.org/edtech/ss/  I enjoyed looking at this site as it had great examples that students had used working with spreadsheets in the K-12 classroom.  The use of graphs in Excel was noted in several examples as younger students displayed how they liked their eggs and potatoes prepared was given in two examples.  There was a great amount of interesting resources on spreadsheets.  One for grades 3-5 was an interview activity that I wouldn't have thought of using Excel for.  It noted it was a good way to get students familiar with the program and that it was a way to show their work organized, which was a better option than word processing. 

A database website I found about applying them in the classroom is www.internet4classrooms.com/examples_data.htm  There was an interesting use a science teacher used a database for which was to have students enter information the first day which then became her gradebook, birthday list, and roster.  What a neat way to get the students involved instead of just collecting the information. 

I have used databases and spreadsheets in my work as a RD.  At a previous job a colleague of mine kept up with her documentation list on a spreadsheet she developed.  She could then figure out each month which clients needed a nutrition assessment and/or a nutrition progress note charted.  It was color coded.  I have to admit, at first it didn't make sense with all the colors.  To her though it kept her organized easier.  I suppose it depends on the person on what organizational type works best for them.  I have worked with a number of databases through job experiences.  Our foodservice department at another job used a database system to look up client names which would then bring you to that client's file, which you could then enter progress notes or modify a menu for that person.  Also with my work at a local health department, we also used a state database to fill out WIC paperwork in the clinic area on a specific client that could then be printed and saved as a reference for the next visit. 

The technology exploration on free concept mapping programs was interesting as I haven't used this type of program for personal or professional use yet.  I enjoyed learning how they can apply to both teachers and students in the classroom.  I think it's really been interesting so far all the technology that is available to the classroom.  It's actually exciting to see how we can move from a traditional lecture to something more exciting for us as educators and for our students. 

All the information given on wikis has been a tremendous asset to see how they are applied.  I liked the experience in viewing several wikis that educators use in their classrooms.  The Wiki Repository article was neat to see how a wiki was started and what teachers that participated in it thought about it.  It was also good to see both the pros and cons in the classroom.  I think as a new educator entering the field it's helpful to know that we can look to wikis as a resource for materials, tips, and ideas.  The article was interesting too to point out that a wiki would give the opportunity for teachers to interact with other teachers that they normally may not get the opportunity too.  There was a section in the article on communities of practice.  It noted that it was common in schools for a sense of independence and isolation since educators are in their own classroom.  Hopefully technology can and will fill in that gap for educators to collaborate and share information.  It appears that in many sites given in the lesson this is happening.  That's wonderful to see since our common goal is educating our students not just ourselves. 

Lesson 1 Blog

Lesson 1 Blog:
What a great start to Education in Technology! I feel like I have learned so much as a new student in the MAT program.  I don't have previous teaching experience in the school system, however I will file this information as a future reference to use in the classroom.  This week I learned about what technology in the classroom involved and various types of technology.  I've learning more about blogging through the new blog I created.  The Technological Literacy worksheet provided information to me about what I needed to learn and explore about technology in the classroom.  As a parent, communication with my daugher's teacher is so important.  It was comforting to see that several forms of technology offer communication opportunities for students, parents, and colleagues.  As a new teacher, building a classroom page on the school's website would be important.  I learned more about what that may involve through the American History class website I reviewed for the Technology Exploration Assignment 3.  I have visited several school/class websites personally, however this site was extensive in its information and resources for students and also parents.  The You Tube Video, "A Vison for Today's Students" was enlightening, but not surprising.  It's so easy to see how students get overwhelmed with information.  Not only the information they receive in the classroom, but the information they take in through media, television, and the use of personal devices such as smart phones and the Internet.  The students in the video were not being engaged.  The class they were in was large and it seemed they were lost in the crowd.  Students were texting and playing on their laptops.  As an aspiring teacher and former student I will be reminded of those realities that come with the classroom.  It will remind me that students must be involved in the subject matter, not necessarily entertained.  As a professional in the dietetics field entering a new field, it was helpful to review the standards and indicators.  I made a copy of those to have for future reference.  I wrote about the fifth indicator since professional growth is a standard I've had to continue with my dietitian licensure.  That will be requirements I will continue as a dietitian even after I become an educator to keep my credentials up-to-date for practice.  If I were to be lucky enough to obtain a job through the Alternative Certification Route, I could put several of the technology sources I've learned about this week into practice.  Reading about podcasts was interesting.  That would be an item I would like to offer.  A comprehensive classroom page on the school's website would be an source I would offer.  I would also look at the online workspaces available throught the PBworks information provided in
the Technology Exploration 1 assignment.  Dependent upon the class, the Tumblebooks is a good source to pass along.  The educational videos available through the site would be beneficial.  I would use networking with other educators as a source of implementing these ideas into my classroom.  The challenges I will face hopefully will resolve in time.  I expect those as a new educator and will lean on my colleagues and students for advice and input.  I would plan to introduce the types of technology gradually especially if students haven't been introduced to them in previous classrooms.  It's exciting to see what technology can do in today's classroom.  I appreciate all the resources and those to come.