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!)