Blog # 4

Overall, I feel the lesson, Melissa and I presented on Bones went very well. I think we incorporated a variety of technology tools from: YouTube, e-sheet and the overhead. I think we both did a great job “acting” as if our class was a group of fourth graders. This lesson provided a great amount of feedback from other teachers and I will be using this lesson in my own classroom. One change I would make is using the Corkboard or Microsoft Word for my KWL chart. I would have also given each student a blank Mr. Bones to fill in the vocabulary as I went along to fill on their own paper.

The TPCK encourages teachers to integrate technology in their lessons. As a teacher, I am guilty of using the same type of technology for my lessons. However by using the TPCK and activities I learned in class, I now have new ideas of incorporating technology into my classroom. Some of the ideas, I will use is implementing a web quest, e-sheets and keeping up with my teacher website. This year, I will be teaching science to my fifth grade class and by looking at the TPCK model; it stressed the importance of content knowledge. I need to be aware of the objectives to prepare the lessons I teach to my students. I will be using the TPCK model for further lessons I teach in my classroom.

Post # 3

After reading Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-year-olds, I feel that I was not surprised by the findings in the article. I have had many discussions with my fifth grade students about how much time he/she spend using technology each day. Many of my students own cell phones, play games on the computer or on a game system and watch television. I also feel in the coming years the numbers will rise again for the use of multiple media devices. I feel less students are spending less time reading and playing outside because of the huge amount of media devices available to students.

Also now use of technology in school districts is also on the rise. Teaches are asked to incorporate technology into their lesson plans and plan projects and activities for students to use technology. As the article pointed out reading magazines and newspapers has decreased and reading books maintained the same. Students need to be encouraged to read books and other material in order to build his/her fluency and comprehension. The article also compared the amount of time a child spends using multiple media devices and his/her grades and behavior at school. I was also not shocked with the finding because instead of students who are struggling in a subject will use his/her “free time” using media devices. The students who struggle the most need to be limited to the amount of time spend on these multiple media devices. Parents should encourage other activities such as reading and limit the time used for media devices.

I believe parents are not aware of the time consumed by these media devices used by children. I think as a teacher I need to make sure my parents are aware the appropriate time to use technology and to also encourage using educational resources for students. In my classroom I will still incorporate technology in my lesson plans, but with rule my students need to follow. Even though technology and the various tools are increasing year by year our students should not forget the use of “old” strategies and activities.

Post # 2

The important theme after reading Oppenheimer, the NET-S standards, and Tech Tonic article is priority.  Oppenheimer said, “In a poll taken in early 1996, teachers ranked computer skills and media technology as more ‘essential’ than the study of European history, biology, chemistry and physics” (Oppenheimer 49).  As a nation, school districts need to realize concepts need to be taught to the students and then learning tools such as technology can be incorporated into the classrooms.  Oppenheimer also mentioned schools are not receiving enough help and are expecting teachers, who are not trained to use technology in their classrooms.  As I stated prioritizing is an important factor for success in technology; first teachers need to be given assistance, take classes to become informed about computers, and then be allowed planning periods in order to create an effective lesson for students. 

                As stated in the Tech Tonic article and NET-S standards, I feel technology should not be taking the place of core subjects and instead should be used as supplement material and provide students with enrichment or re-teaching of activities.  I feel the NET-S standards also address the ideas of using critical thinking in the classrooms, learn to collaborate ideas, and apply Bloom’s Taxonomy into students’ learning.  NET-S standards also provide teachers with the skills to make learning the concepts a priority, but also provide opportunities to incorporate technological tools in the classrooms.

                Continuing with the theme of prioritizing I feel the Tech Tonics articles gets to this point in the beginning of the article.  The article states ten steps to develop a new conscious of technology literacy and also states seven key reforms to foster technology reform.  The most important part of teaching is making sure students have a home and school connections and the administrators, parents, teachers, and students need to work together to foster technology appropriate for students’ growth.  Tech Tonics makes a reference that teachers and students need to be guided and mentored into introducing technology into the classrooms and this is the main argument Oppenheimer argued for in his book.  In the Tech Tonics article it states, “we must give our children and youth the full opportunity to get to know themselves through play, the arts, and hands-on learning, so that they have a solid sense of self” (Tech Tonics 10).  I feel it is very important for students to be involved in their learning and have the opportunities to communicate with each other and use technology as supplement material. 

                To sum up I feel Oppenheimer’s NET-S standards and Tech Tonics are presenting information to realize the priority needed in order to implement technology into the classroom.  Teachers need to be trained and then be able to guide their students learning.  Technology should not be replacing basic education and instead should be used as extra material to re-teach or enrich student learning.  Finally, traditional learning, using hands-on learning, and collaboration should not be replaced by using technology to teach concepts and priority needs to be taken in great consideration for this idea to work. 

Blog # 1 Technology Use in the Classroom

My personal philosophy of education is that primary and secondary education should serve the individual such that upon leaving secondary education the individual develops such attributes that makes he/she a functioning member of society.  This includes necessary attributes to do basic job skills, such as computer skills, English, and math.  These skills also include being able to socialize properly with others, being able to serve oneself in basic chores (such as going to the store and recognizing what the numbers mean), and skills needed to work cooperatively with others members of society in order to accomplish tasks both at home and work.  Also, teachers should serve the students such that their interests are peaked for further education (if they so desire), the student realizes the importance of the material he/she is learning, and current methods of teaching are up-to-date with society standards.

Since computers and technology are both a basic part of society in the U.S. today, teachers should strive to incorporate technology into there lesson and into the interaction that students have with different curricula in the classroom.  Technology, especially the more recent of which, can help the child in many different ways.  Learning math skills through the use of a computer programs (such as excel and interactive games) help students to familiarize themselves with computer technology and helps them in their learning process.  Also, technology can be useful for teachers because it can help them to peak students interests in a subject, and to get more answers to help continue a students interest in a subject.  For example, Power School helps parents to take a more active role in their child's education, which in turn helps the student to stay focus on school.