Technology Integration Plan

I believe that technology is an important aspect of education and should be utilized in all classrooms. Every school and classroom should have the opportunity to utilize technology regardless of where the school is located or the economical status. Many children do not have access to these tools at home, and by giving these students an opportunity to understand the importance of technology in their daily lives as well as teaching them how to do it at school; we are providing all children with an equal, fair learning prospect.

I feel that technology should be a support system for learning, rather than an escape from teaching. Meaning, many teachers seem to rely to harshly on the use of technology, it should be used simply as a guide and tool. I am an early education major, receiving a degree that will able me to teach children kindergarten through third grade. I feel that each student should feel comfortable typing on a computer as well as utilizing the Internet when needed and knowing the options that technology provides. I also feel that young children should not heavily rely on technology for social purposes. Children are being exposed to technology as a social outlet that it is creating a lack of social and creative skills.

In my future early childhood classrooms I think the two forms of technology that I will most commonly use are Google maps and blogs. I think these two tools will be helpful in my classroom because they are both easy to use tools for young children as well as create pathways to higher learning.

One way I would like to utilize these two tools is through a social studies unit. I will begin by reading the students the book, Letters from Felix: A Little Rabbit on a world tour by Annette Langen. This book follows a lost stuffed animal bunny on his trip around the world through post cards that he sends. This book is a great introduction to geography. After reading aloud the first part of the book where Felix ‘sends’ his first post card from London, we will stop and use Google maps. We will use Google maps to locate where we are, where London is, and use the directions tool to figure out how far away we are from London. This is a great way to use technology as a resource of information. As we read the book and learn where else Felix travels, we will continue to locate each location on Google maps.

Second part of this unit uses reading and writing skills as well; each student will create a blog. The student’s blog is to track Felix’s trip by creating a post for each new city Felix sends a postcard from. In each post the children will include where Felix is, and two sentences about that location. The students will be learning how to blog at an early age which will be a great introduction to blogging and using the Internet as a source of communication later in life.

I will range the success of children in my classroom using such technology by being present in the computer lab when children are creating their blogs. Also, I will create a Google Site page in which I will have an excel of each child’s name and their blog URL, similar to the site we have for edec 203. This will allow me easy access to each child’s blog. Each night after we use blogs in school I will read through the child’s blog to ensure they understand how to post. As far as Google maps, this tool will always be used in a group setting with the educator guiding the children step by step on how to use this tool. Children in third grade are often exposed to typing on a keyboard but rarely is it expected for them to navigate a web page. Second and third grade is an expected age group for this lesson.

By creating this Google sites page to have each child’s blog URL, I will be able to present this to future employers. This will be helpful because I will have each child’s blog and will be able to show the pros and cons of this project. Many students will succeed in creating blogs and will provide multiple sentences on each post, while some student may struggle. By incorporating each child’s site, I will be able to scale the variety of blogs, which will be helpful on a self-reflection level as well as sharing with future colleagues and bosses.

I am looking forward to including technology in my classroom as an outlet and resource for my children to learn. I hope to use this unit plan in my future classroom.

4 Discussion Posts

Web evaluation discussion
2 threads for each of the four webquest = 8 posts
2 comments on each discussion of other peoples = 8 posts

WebQuest discussion
2 floating sticky notes of my own for each of the four pages = 8 posts
2 post of other people's notes. = 8 posts

Google form discussion
2 floating sticky notes of my own
2 post on other people's notes

Lost arts of teaching discussion
2 floating sticky notes of my own
2 post on other people's notes

TOTAL POSTS 40

Assignment 12

(a) Do you think technology can facilitate learning? Why and why not?

I do think technology can facilitate learning. I think this because of the many varieties of technology we have learned about so far id EDEC 203. I think that teachers can use podcasts and blogs to faciliate learned and by incorporating the students in the learning by doing model.
Dispite that technology can be a great tool to encourage learning, it can also act as a burden and can become the topic of learning rather than the focused topic. For example, many times professors create powerpoints in which they read directly off of. This is very boring for students and does not encourage hands on learning.

(b) What are the factors that affect our decisions on whether and how we will use a technology in our classes or not?

I am an early education major and would love to teach Kindergarten and first grade. I agree that technology is a great tool but I feel that Kindergarten is too young to sit in front of a computer. I know that there are many interactive learning games available for young children and I do not agree with them. I think it is unhealthy for young children and hope that technology stops appealing to children of this young age. My degree does allow be to teach up to third grade, and I feel that if I am in an older classroom I would incorporate technology into my classroom. I think that smart boards are a great way to incorporate learning to both the visual learners, the hands on learners, and the auditory learners.

Google Maps

View My Town in a larger map

Learning with Games and Simulations

Game 1:  Interactive Coin Game

I like this interactive coin game because the coins are very life like and I feel that it truly helps children learn their coins. This game would be great for students in second and third grade learning and practicing their coin counting. I would use this in my classroom as a math center, I would be sure to be near the students to help with questions or problem dragging the coins; using a mouse can often be difficult for children with not as advanced fine motor skills.

Game 2: Matching Shapes with Krog

I like this game because of the fantastic theme of the webpage. From past experience if an educational game has an interesting theme and characters children will be drawn to it. I feel that this game offers those interesting aspects. This game would be great for kindergarteners who should be mastering shapes, while also getting the students comfortable using the mouse for their fine motor skills, and getting comfortable with technology.

Assignment 7b

Assignment 8

How do you plan to use VoiceThread in your future classrooms?
- I think that I could use VoiceThread in my classroom to help with phonics activities. I think that it would really help with providing children with visual as well as verbal cues.

How does that help you meet the ISTE standards?
- VoiceThread and using it in my future classroom helps meet the ISTE standard of "Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments." This is because I would be using technology to help assit me in learning. Technology can also be a great way to asses children's knowledge. Many times it is hard for just one teacher to keep track of each student's level, grades, and reactions to assingments; technology can lend a helping hand with keeping children's responses organized.

My Voice Thread

Assignment 7: Survey

Based on your discussion with your classmates, what do you think are the three best ways of using Google Forms in this article?

1. To get to know your students.

2. Weekly Reading Record

3. Spelling Tests

What are possible ways for you to use Google Forms in your classroom?

- In addition to the three ways I stated above I could see myself using Google Forms to get childrens feedback on projects and activities we did in class. I also feel that it would be a great way to communicate with parents and get en site into what is going on at home. Students can only learn so much at school, and need to use home as a time to practice and keep up with the skills they are learning. I think parents could use a google form to answer how their children did each day during daily reading. I am an early childhood education major so may be working with children too young to use the computer and such software; but I feel that incorporating it for use of the parents it may make it easier than having them fill out a paper reading log. This would also act as a direct link between myself, the educator, to the teachers; rather than relying on the students to transport messages back and forth. 


Here is the link to the survey I created:
Link to Social Networking Survey 

Assignment 6: Web Quest Assignment

Insects Perspective: I believe this Web quest is great for children, I think that the Web quest and final lesson plan is great for students and incorporates a variety of different content areas. I really enjoy the idea of this project and I would love expand it downwards to use in an early childhood classroom. I feel that children would really adapt to the different parts of the lesson plan if changed to appeal to the younger children. Also, I think the evaluation page is done very well and I really enjoyed reading the descriptions for each 'grade;' they were written in positive sentences which I agree with. Although I really enjoy the topic the Web quest chose to focus on, I feel that the Introduction could use more details and the have more details to intrigue the children more.

The Four Seasons:  Overall, this Web quest idea is a good one. I enjoy the group aspect of this project to ensure each student having the opportunity to gain full knowledge. While reading through the Web quest I felt that the instructions were geared to older students. Although the topic was very elementary I feel that the way the Web quest is designed it is in a very 'paragraph' form, rather than bullet points, descriptions, pictures, or examples brightly shows. The examples that are provided are separate from the process which I feel would confuse young children. Overall, I think the topic for this certain lesson plan is a great one and would love to use it in my future classroom!

Who Really Owns the Rosetta Stone: This Web quest is set up in a very different way than the others provided in this project. I think that this site would work for older children; but students who are only used to working with the basic set up of a Web quest would find themselves lost in these pages. The links provided are not the same links as the other provided web quests. I feel that the project is still a fantastic idea and feel that the links provided are great examples and resources for the students. I really enjoyed how the educator was encouraging technology involvement as well as personal presentations.

Review of Algebra 1:  I like the idea this educator had. I am comfortable, and have experience with younger children, so it may be that I am not experienced with this aged student but I felt as if this Web quest would be too confusing for eighth grade and early high schoolers. I understand that mathematics is a hard content area to use technology in. I do believe that topics are introduced in a clear, very outlined manner which is why I can understand why the educator based this web quest for eighth grade and high school students. However, the task page is very busy and has a lot of detail which is helpful but I feel it could be overwhelming for younger children. If I were to use this in a classroom I think I would change the Introduction to capture the students attention more. Algebra tends to be a difficult, therefore boring, subject for many young children and by creating more exciting and intricate lesson plans it could encourage participation.


My WebQuest about What's in a State: Here is the Link

Assignment 4: Website Evaluation

http://www.theonion.com/articles/immigration-officials-beef-up-usmexican-border-wit,1080/

This websites purpose is to entertain the reader with witty and sarcastic remarks about true political issues. The events that the articles are based upon are true but many/all of the facts that back it up are to provide humor. This wesbite is a .com which means it is not a credible website and it has many different authors. I am not very knowledgeable about the topic of immigration but I felt while reading this article it was targeting conservatives whom want to tighten borders. I believe this website is a great transition to get older students interested in current events; however, for many students below high school this content is far too mature and sarcastic for them to understand or be appropriate.

 http://www.fairus.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=16663&security=1601&news_iv_ctrl=1007

FAIR is a grassroots organization that aims to stop illegal immigration. By quickly looking at the website you can tell it is a .org website which means it will be accurate information. By reading this website I felt that it was biased towards pro tightening border control. It provides information that could be helpful in a classroom but the educator would have to be sure to explain the one side information that is being shared. A downside of this website, compared to some of the others, is the blog verse website. The blog website is updated weekly and is on top of staying current. However, this website has not been updated in five years, since 2005. The updated date is an important thing to remember to pay attention to while citing websites.

 

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

This is a government website, that is a .gov which means it is a credible, up-to-date website that would be great to use in a classroom. The great thing about this website is the authenticity and the easy to use layout which creates a larger opporunity for a broader range of students to use. Many people were writting comments about the non bias attitude that this website was created in and I completely agree. I also noticed while reading that the website can guide the reader to all of the updated immigration laws. I believe this is great for students to learn because so often history can be taught without it relating to them; by sharing with the students that all of this information goes into creating laws, they realise the link between government and laws; and the link between laws and citizens.

http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-english/2008/February/20080307112004ebyessedo0.1716272.html

This website was a great source of information and in my opinion can be used for younger grades as well. THis website is a .gov which varifies that the information is credible and accurate. This website would be very helpful with aidingchildren who are writing reports or learning about immigration in social studies. THis would be a helpful tool becuase of the easy to read layout of information about the history of immigration that is provided.

 http://blog.immigrantconnect.com/

This site is written by a legal firm, because it is a .com website it is clear it is not a credible, accurate website. It is a blog which I believe is a creative idea and a unique way of portraying this legal information. While reading some of the blog posts I quickly figured out that the writers are writing from a very liberal view. Although it is written from this slanted opinion I still believe it would be an asset to the classroom to share this website. I enjoy that blog aspect of this site as well as the up to date and current events that are talked about. I am hoping to be a teacher in a kindergarten or first grade classroom, so clearly these websites are far and above any of my students but in highschool history class I feel that the students would find this website interesting.

Assignment 3: PowerPoint Reflection

I really enjoyed creating a PowerPoint Quiz. I thought it was an amazing program and am fascinated. I have been using PowerPoint since I was in elementary school creating slides for presentations, or using the program to make a picture slide show; however I was never aware of the quiz and hyperlink abilities. I think the hyperlink is a fantastic tool and I can not wait to being using this quiz application with children.

I had a little difficulty using my Mac Laptop in the beginning but when I used the PC at the Library everything went smoothly. I am unsure however, about how to set the settings so the quiz taker can not edit. Other than that, I felt very prepared in creating the quiz and comfortable adding colors, transitions, effects, sounds, and hyperlinks. I think this is a great tool and am very pleased that I learned how to utilize it so early in this class.

I would like to some day teacher kindergarten or first grade, and my passion is for language arts, reading, and writing. Because of this, I chose to make my slide show for children at a reading level of preschool through first. I used small, one syllable words, and chose to focus on rhyming. I worded questions with the main word in all big letters, and the child is too choose which word correctly rhymes with the target word. I think that the PowerPoint is simple enough and easy to use where ages 3-7 should not have any difficulty. I am excited to create more intricate PowerPoint's and to explore adding sounds to enhance children's phonological skills.

Wiki Journal 1

So far EDCT 203 has been a great learning experience. I am in my second week of classes and have had three EDCT 203 classes thus far. I have already learned how to create a blog, wiki, work google spreadsheets, and so much more. I feel that the lessons learned in this class will be helpful in not only my future classroom use as both a teacher and a student, but will also help for my personal knowledge of technology.

The first lesson I learned in EDCT 203 that sparked an interest was learning how to use cell phones in the classroom. We learned on the first day how teachers can present multiple choice questions to a class and have them turn in their response via text message. I thought that this was a great teaching tactic because so many young children are cell phone owners and I feel this is a great way to stimulate student interaction.

On the second day we learned about Wiki's. I had a very small knowledge of what wiki's were prior to this class but after one class period I was very knowledgeable. I learned what Wiki's are, how they can be used, and how to create and manage a Wiki. I even created a wiki of my own that we will use later on in this class. I think wikis can be a great tool to use in classrooms. It gives the feel that each person involved in the Wiki has equal say and everyone can contribute their opinions and thoughts in an equal and even manor which I feel is important in a classroom setting.

Our third class period we learned how to use PowerPoint to make quizzes. So far this is the more difficult, as well as most intriguing lesson we have learned. I believe this because I think it can be such a great learning tool as well as evaluation tool in classrooms. I feel that I will use quizzes through PowerPoint often in my classroom.

I am hoping to teach kindergarten through third grade, Kindergarten and first grade being my main focus. Due to the young age of these children I will use less technology than the average middle school teacher. However, I would love to use technology in a helpful, healthy way. Throughout using quizzes on PowerPoint, I am able to add voices which can talk to the young student. A concrete example of this could be to create a power point and have a voice say a letter. Then have several buttons each with letters, one which will correspond to the letter spoken. Ideas like the one previously stated incorporates technology into early learning while not relying on it which I feel is an important concept for early educators to keep in mind.

The ISTE Standards that I met while completing this assignment were 3a. Standard 3a states that one is able to demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations. I feel that I met this standard because although I am comfortable with many types of technology, Wiki's were new to me. However, I feel that I adapted quickly and with ease to the way Wiki's operate.

I enjoyed learning how to use so many wide varieties of hands on technologies. I believe that PowerPoint quizzes as well as wiki's will be very helpful in future classrooms.

Assignment 1: Internet Resources

Copyright Issues and Internet Use

This website is the United States Copyright Office. The Copyright's Office's mission is: "To promote creativity by administering and sustaining an effective national copyright system."  




This website is a great source of information about copyright issues as well as internet use. This website provides internet users with the definition of copyright, plagiarism, history of copyright, and many more useful details.

Equity Issues in Computer Use in Schools

This website is hosted by maec; the information goes into great detail about the equity issues in computer use in schools focusing on technology in Kindergarten through twelth grade of public schools

This is a link to an article by Elizabeth Field and Constance Kurz sent into Education Weekly. This article details Equity Emerges as Major Issue in Schools' Use of Computers.

Cultural Issues in the use of Computers in Schools

This is a link to an article about Cross-cultural reactions to using computers in the early childhood education classroom. This article is written by John Castellani and Linda Tsantis whom are boith professors at John Hopkins University, Columbia USA.

Here is a link to the Australian Flexible Learning Community. This article on Cultural Difference and its influence on learning was written on the 15 of September in 2003. This article focuses on the importance of understanding cultural backgrounds of learners when designing computer-based learning. It also provides research on how Culture influences Computer-based learning. 

Health problems concerning the use of Computer

Here is a link to an article posted on the Healthy Health Professional website titled Top 4 Health Problems caused by computer use. The 4 are as follows; eye disease, bad posture, hurting hands, and computer stress injuries. 

Healthoma.com writes about the health problems that are directly related to over use of a computer in an article titled Health Problems Caused by use of Computers. Some of these heath hazards brought up in the article are lower back pain, neck pain, pain in wrists and fingers, and many more. 

09/08/10

Post secret is a website that collects secrets from people all of over the world. Each sunday, new secrets are chosen and uploaded. Here is the website, http://www.postsecret.com/. This here is one of my favorite 'secrets' from this week.