My Beliefs

Technology in the classroom is vital to the education of students and the evolving of the teacher. This is something that will continue to be more integrated in the classroom as more technology becomes available and teachers have to increase their knowledge and understanding about the current technologies that are out there. I would like to use not only powerpoints, but videos as well. I don't believe in just pure lecture or book work in the classroom, this tends to promote what I like to call "Shut Down Syndrome". Students don't like to listen to a teacher talk for eighty minutes or just assign an assignment out of the book. This bores them and they tend not to retain information that is being taught.

Technology and using new resources that kids find exciting will make them excited to learn and become familiar with the material being taught. Teaching and student learning go hand in hand with each other, both teachers and students are able to learn from each other and this increases the pedagogy in the classroom. This will benefit all parties involved and help with the curriculum and even the further progression of the students understanding about the information that is being taught in class.

My own classroom will have technology very much integrated into it and I will try to get my own students to interact with the lessons being taught. I very much believe in getting the students out of their seats and engaged actively in the lesson and with each other. I like the idea of having them create their own assignments using technology and having the proper guidance with the assignment that they can create it on their own with the help simply from the directions. Just because my classroom will either be history or health doesn't mean that they can't learn how to do new things with technology and further their understanding for other classes. Technology and the use there of makes me excited to get involved with my students and help them with their own education and use of technology.

Lessons Learned

As I had the opportunity to go through and read, watch, and partake in the surveys, videos, and news articles I found the topics to be not only eclectic but also very informative. They were up to date and on the current topics that are surrounding the new issues with technology and resources that kids are able to access nowadays at home and at school. There are beyond numerous outlets for kids and teachers to access for information in and out of the classroom. With teachers being further educated on the new technologies that are available it is a great education that helps the classroom evolve.

Some of the concerns I would have with the articles would be contained more around the new internet and social networking. These are great tools is utilized in a positive manner and for positive recreational purposes. However, adolescents are not always able to use the most accurate judgement when it comes to accessing and putting information out over the internet. Predators, cyberbullying, and addictions form very easily to the internet and the world that it provides for the users. These are worrisome especially for the students that readily access them without any parental supervision and there are new ways of bullying that basically don't let kids escape it.

Overall, the articles and videos were very informative and had many valid points that helped me to understand the different avenues that are out with technology and with adolescents and technology. I really enjoyed the social networking articles, all of them would be something that I would access again even in the health classroom. This provides educators with articles and information that will help increase students' safety and awareness, this is part of my curriculum with health education and I really think that it provided me with some useful information that I would like to use in my own classroom in the future to help educate my students with proper knowledge and safety.

Strengths and Weaknesses

When it comes to reflecting on my strengths and weaknesses according to the UNI survey and the NET Standards. My overall standing with the UNI survey was really strong as well as with the NET Standards, I have a thoroughly good knowledge about the concepts that are presented in the laws and understandings about what systems to have knowledge about. As a beginning teacher I would incorporate different types of technology to teach not only health but history as well. Both can have interactive guides and lessons that encourage student participation.

My weaknesses would be more along the lines of using valid sources and incorporating those for my lessons and making sure students understood ethics more thoroughly. As I was doing an internet search for the available workshops or tutorials that were available I found two websites geared towards technology and internet usage in the classroom. I would use http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic76.htm and http://www.internet4classrooms.com/on-line.htm. Both are geared towards the improvement of technology in the classroom. As you research and incorporate the tutorials on these websites it shows the available programs and how to best utilize them and improve the knowledge and understanding of the information.

Some of my goals would be to further my own knowledge and understanding about the available concepts with the standards and integrate them in my own classroom for my own students to understand. To be able to understand and strengthen my already strengths and my current weaknesses by accessing outside resources geared at educating teachers will help me to further my own understanding about technology and stay caught up with my students. These are extremely vital to maintaining credibility as an educator and evolving as new information evolves.

Classroom Reflection 11/24

This past week in class we talked about the final and the upcoming projects that are expected of us for the remainder of the semester. One of the main discussions was about the PPT activity and how we will contribute to a book.

As a teacher I see the importance of guiding students through projects and giving them step by step instructions on how to complete the project to the best of their abilities. This class was more informative and told us what the remaining projects are, and how we are supposed to complete them. I will not lie I sincerely have been struggling with this class and how to finish all the necessary projects before the final day.

The PPT project is a great way for students to complete an in depth project on their own and be able to use the guidance from the directions of the teacher and use them on their own projects. It is a great tool to know how to put together and to use for the fact that it will help students answer alot of their questions and be able to be visually guided through a project and through a system that they might not be familiar with.

Classroom Reflection 11/10

Today in class we discussed the technologies associated with digital cameras and picasa. We talked about the editing abilities that are associated with the programs and the different uses of different cameras.

As a teacher this means that students can take learning into their own hands and edit their own photography with programs that are free to download that offer a variety of tools. I really enjoyed this activity, I used to be a photography minor so doing stuff with digital cameras is something that I am comfortable with and teaching to others to use and become comfortable with. I enjoyed finding the places, but the weather made the assignment a little more difficult and harder to enjoy just being that we are transitioning into winter and finding certain things made it more difficult to do.

As a teacher in my classroom, this would be great to do as far as learning about history and health, letting kids do their own research and putting together collages that they could share with their classmates. I think that students would thrive when you make things come alive in their eyes and in ways that they will understand and be able to accomplish without much guidance and help from their teachers. Technology, especially cameras are very useful because it lets the user select what they want to take the picture of and how they can use the programs to manipulate it.

Internet Safety Classroom Reflection 11/03

Today in class we discussed the importance of internet safety. We did a webquest and researched several different articles relating to the importance of internet safety.

These articles delved into the different articles relating to how teenagers and adolescents are accessing the internet, the reliability of sources and other topics covered. The video clips that were shown from UEN were very informative about the importance of internet safety and the need to be weary before you trust any clip or any information from random websites. This is very important for future teachers that need to be aware of the dangers associated with using the internet and protecting students from inappropriate content and information.

The internet is a great technology for future students that allows them access to all sorts databases, reference pages and information that helps students know about certain topics and research information. UEN is a great resource for accessing information and allowing students to gain information, they can research the dangers associated with internet safety and dangers so that they are conscious of the dangers and people out in the real world that intend harm for them. Internet safety and encouraging students to be able to access new information and be safe doing so, this is a great resource for teachers to be mindful of the information that students need to have access to.

Classroom Reflection 10/20

Today in class we covered the copyright issues that pertain to technology use and issues that are related to that. I was not in class due to my surgery however I took the time to research some of these issues on my own to make up for the absence.

If teachers and students use copyrighted material and try to pass it off as their own, how fair is that to the author that put all the time into that material? It is the same concept to me if a student turns in a plagiarized paper trying to pass it off as their own. Teachers need to provide the example that shows students that there needs to be laws in place to protect copyrighted material. If teachers are educated about proper materials than students will be as well.

By having this technology in the classroom as well as this knowledge, there will be more resources opened up to teachers and students. If there are proper outlets for gaining access to these types of information, students will be able to put together projects that will use different sources of information and teachers will be able to utilize new types of information as well. There are so many different outlets for information that are free, that make learning more adventurous, teachers just need to be able to be willing to find and utilize this with their time and effort. Students and the classroom will benefit as well.

Vidcast Paper

McKenzie GoodwinDr. Waters EDSC 3250-01Vidcast Paper
The vidcast name for our presentation is “The Food Guide Pyramid” and the following vidcasts will follow along with a Nutritional Series. This series will follow right in line with Standard 2 from the 7th-8th grade core curriculum, which states “ Students will use nutrition and fitness information, skills, and strategies to enhance health”. The reason being for this vidcast series, it addresses the standards and objectives set in place by the state of Utah . Within the age range of12-18 years adolescents struggle with the concept of healthy behaviors and establishing healthy patterns for life. This standard specifically addresses the fact that these kids need to have proper knowledge and know the concepts that address these issues. I chose to do this topic because I work with adolescents that do indeed struggle with eating and body image. This is a huge problem in the teenage population nowadays, girls are especially struggling more now with the pressure set forth from peers, the media, and other distortions that are present in society today. These will follow right in line with the NET standards where students will learn and this should inspire them for creativity besides just book assignments, getting involved in technology, being exposed to more modern technologies, it will build modern age work and learning, and build personal growth and provide opportunities for growth and personal development. Certain drawbacks could be that technology could not come through in a positive way, that students might not fully comprehend the concepts being presented in the series, or that information could be copyrighted. Students sometime will not adequately use technology and all the information presented in the vidcast, there are always drawbacks to everything. I would like to build this series to tie right along with the standards and objectives set forth by the state that build on the core curriculum and would be something else besides my own voice lecturing, it brings a variety in to the lessons and classroom. Students will be better equipped to handle new things and information more appropriately.

Class Reflection 9/22

Today in class we learned about making podcasts and utilizing that technology in our classrooms and also applying it to our websites. The podcast was supposed to be as a public service announcement that was relevant to our content area.

As a teacher I will use this information and technology to advance students knowledge of technology but I will also be able to bring in other public service announcements that I can utilize as well. This type of announcement could also be used as an assignment in the classroom where the kids could pair up into groups and make their own podcasts for the classroom and they could even have it be their projects and other assignments.

Even now in my own classroom technology is used everyday whether it be video clips, powerpoint, overheads, internet searching, worksheets, etc, this type of technology would be something different that students would not expect in the classroom and that they would enjoy. I think that as I learn all the different types of technology this is improving how I am currently teaching in my own classroom.

UEN Scavenger Hunt

I really liked this activity that showed us how to utilize the UEN.org website and the best ways to maneuver our way through the website. The UEN website itself is confusing and overwhelming at first but as soon as you figure out the best ways to use the tool bars and to use the search option, it makes using this website so much easier. There is a load of information on the website and it is a great resource for obtaining additional lesson plans and hooking them up to your personal webpage so that parents and students are able to see where your information is coming from and how accurate it is when you are presenting the information that it is coming from a valid source.

The lesson plans and core curriculum section of the website is one that presents educators a lot of information that you can use to build on existing lesson plans or when putting together new lesson plans. It is great for new teachers because it is approved through the standards and applies right to the core, it gives you great ideas for games and activities for getting students out of their desks and involved in the lessons. I really liked looking through the different lesson plans because I am putting together my curriculum information right now and this is a great source for using in my classroom and when preparing my own personal information and lessons.

The Pioneer Library and interactive portion of the website was also great because how it is user friendly you can find new information that is not only scholarly and politically correct but also gives the user current information and facts to read up on. As a teacher you need to be able to stay current on new information and the library and interactives present those opportunities and give you information that students will also be able to use. These are great articles not only for the fact that as an educator I would definitely feel confident in sending home articles that I found on this website and sharing those with students and parents would not get me in trouble with anyone.

I really liked the fact that the website once you were a registered user you have access to professional development, licensing information, and current events going on around the state of Utah. This is great for teachers to know of upcoming workshops and news that takes place from other educators. I strongly believe in networking with my coworkers and other teachers at the junior high I work at already, this is just an additional resource that is great to even share with my coworkers and help us become better teachers that are continually progressing and helping each other be a better foundation for the students.

Classroom Reflection 09/04

This week in class we learned how to utilize Google sites and build our classroom website. We were walked through the class and the different templates and tools that are available on the sites builder.

As a teacher this is an important tool seeing as though I can link up this website to the school's website and build a relationship with the students via google sites. This brings technology into the classroom and a website that will be user friendly to the students and parents. Websites are great for interaction between the parents, teachers, and students this builds the fact if a student misses class this website will build up the relationship academically and help students make up missing work.

I originally didn't know about google sites and the technology and information that was available, this opens up the fact that it only takes a couple of minutes each day to update the website and to create it in a way that students will be able to understand. I never really thought about having my own website and utilizing the internet and fact that this is a user friendly way that parents, students and other teachers might notice and build from. I really look forward to learning more about the available technologies and ways that I can build on them and build them in my own classroom. Educators need to keep up on the technologies that their students are using and learning and be able to interface that in to their own classroom.

Classroom Reflection 09/01

Today in class we learned about google calendars, igoogle, and google sites. I never thought all these tools were available online, it was interesting going through this technology. I have used google docs before and they are always handy because it takes away the necessity of having to take a USB, flash drive, computer everywhere you go. You can access presentations, documents, etc anywhere as long as you have an internet connection and access to a computer. I tried utilizing these technologies on my phone and I was able to mess around with more uses on my phone and was still able to do some of the things I could do on a computer right on my phone. This class is going to be great as far as teaching me how to do different things and how to make things accessible to my students in the classroom and how they can use technology that will follow them through the year and they will not lose the documents.

My ideal classroom

I am a dual endorsement major, my topic areas are in Health and History. My classroom would vary depending on my subject. I believe in teaching using different methods that help kids that vary within their own learning styles. Kids don't learn strictly through lecture and bookwork, with all of the available resources and technologies that are present I truly believe utilizing these different resources will build stronger learners in the classroom.
In my History classroom, I would put up different sections in the classroom that covered different time periods, I would also have interactive guides that would immerse the students in the time period and provide them with a visual understanding of the period. I would have students get in teams and use the support network with their teams and cover different periods. Computers, ipods, and music would be incorporated into class, I would have an ipod touch for every student that would have apps applying to the history curriculum.
In my Health classroom, this would be ideal for different information systems and I would have interactive links that hooked up to other classrooms and students would be able to communicate with one another. This would open up resources outside of the classroom, I would want hook ups to the health department and to doctors so that they could provide students with more information other than the teacher would be able to provide. I would utilize the fact that kids do talk to their peers and they do communicate with other people to gather information. I would have a peer system that they could submit information into that would be censored and gone through electronically that would provide answers to the kids questions.
I really like the ideas of kids utilizing technology and their peers, this gives them the chance to build on knowledge of others and use technology to improve their understanding of the concepts taught in the classroom, it would be an environment that would be fun and uplifting as well as educational for the students.