Word Cloud

Teaching Creativity with Technology

The job of teaching can be affected in positive and productive ways when

computers and other technologies are used. Technology allows teachers to keep better student records through online grading software. Teachers can also use educational software, websites, and other resources to involve their students in learning. The technology implemented in the classroom engages students and helps teachers to communicate more efficiently. Technology although helpful, can sometimes become more of a hindrance. There are many issues with the student’s personal privacy when everything is online. It also presents a disadvantage to teachers when students plagiarize from online sources because it is more accessible. Overall if used properly technology can have a positive impact on teaching.

Almost every subject and teaching organization has technology involved in the program. The text includes the best references for ways students should use technology. Each state even includes technology in their state standards. All educators should be fully aware of the expectations of the state when teaching. There are various ways to meet the goals and are completely dependent on the individual. By incorporating the eight learning approaches students can learn through technology in what way is best for them. As educators we want to create lifelong learners to make decisions that affect not just themselves but the future.

There are no certain words to describe creativity. It is something inside you that creates inquiry and engages learning. As an educator you can’t teach creativity you can only encourage and help students build on their prior knowledge. With technology students have the ability to create and learn new things. It allows students to dream and imagine and then make it become a reality. There are new technologies being made available to encourage innovative thinking and to help explore new ideas. 

http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching-resources/classroom-practice/teaching-techniques-strategies/creativity/techniques-creative-teaching/

Evaluating Digital Games for Learning Reflection

            There are many ways to include technology and learning games in the classroom. The games and educational programs are constantly updating and changing. Some games are effective and are valuable in the classroom. Using math problem-solving resources are extremely helpful to elementary and secondary school students. The three websites shown in the book are to help students with their problem-solving skills.

            The sites given are ones that are easier for students to use and less distracting. This is because the sites chosen are free for users and mostly free of advertisements. The sites activities are open-ended and engaging for the students. This allows the students to have different experiences every time they enter the sites. This keeps the students excited to use the sites again and again and entices them to come back.

https://www.graphite.org/blog/teaching-with-digital-games-a-video-case-study-and-teacher-qa-with-the-joan-ganz-cooney-center

For Reflection and Discussion Chapter 5

I believe that search engines are an essential and valuable tool for education.

This gives educators the ability to plan lessons, answering student questions, and locating information for the class. When searching under the different search functions on a search engine you will get different information under each section. For example if you searched California under maps you might get how to get there, under travel you might get tickets, and under video you may see recent news. In my opinion Google is the search engine with the clearest information results. Most search engines will differ with the first information shown because the show sponsors first. The sites that end in .org or .gov are more trustworthy for research than .com or .net.

Wikipedia is one of the most untrustworthy sites on the Internet. When looking up something from my education book on Wikipedia could turn up completely different results. Anyone can post to Wikipedia so it is an extremely unreliable source. Here may be some information that is accurate but you need to be careful. On a Wikipedia site there is the chance to get more than one person’s ideas like in a textbook. I would only suggest putting the Wikipedia site under dispute if it was full of false information. Depending on whether the textbook seemed biased or not would be the deciding factor to put it under dispute. I would see the textbook as

a more reliable because it is accredited material unlike Wikipedia. The only way to make Wikipedia more reliable as a source for students is to let highly educated individuals’ update and post on the site.

As the Internet takes over, my generation relies on it more than ever. Compared to older people the Internet and technology are taking over more than they ever thought possible. I use Internet for most things like research, watching movies and TV, and even sopping. Students are more into Twitter, Instagam, and Facebook than ever before. There are many lesson plans and teaching ideas that could influence teachers and the lessons they prepare. Todays students will become more interested in learning material in a way the intrigues them. Through the Internet students can explore and learn in a way they grew up around and are used to. 

http://www.schoolspring.com

Performance Evaluation Reflection

The main points of the reflection were mainly to point out how assessments

would be used and using learning objectives. The text wanted the reader to choose a lesson and outline the plan for it. They wanted either a learning objective format or an Understanding by Design approach. Knowing how the frameworks are alike and differ reflect the main points. The advantages and drawbacks make it easier to create an effective lesson.
I believe the main focus was on performance evaluations. Performance evaluations are less common in schools and test assessments are emphasized. The text then asks multiple questions about assessments that make you think. As a student hands on activities are the best assessments in my opinion. They allow the student to see as they are learning and then be tested in the same manner. As a teacher using multiple types of test assessments will help your students and you as an educator find what type of learning your students enjoy most. When using a test you can assess all of the student’s knowledge through a series of questions. Knowing what type of assessment you students respond to the best will help your students develop at a better rate in the long run. 

http://www.crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/guidelines

Research Experiences with Cloud Storage and Social Bookmarking

1.     Discuss your views of Cloud Storage. Highlight your experiences in the areas of practicality and ease of access to files.

I believe that Cloud Storage can be extremely useful as a student or educator. I find that the programs are easy to use for all ages and make communication and group work easier for students. Cloud Storage makes it simple for people to access files in multiple locations. The options available through cloud storage make it easier to work on projects and complete papers efficiently. The programs make everything work more proficiently and smoothly.

Accounts such as dropbox make it easy to access files in different places. Instead of having the files on one computer or on a flash drive you have the ability to log on and look at a number of files wherever you are. I have used all of these accounts Dropbox, Copy, Google Drive, and Microsoft Live. Each of these accounts help students and educators obtain any files they need. On Google Drive students have the ability to share and work at the same time on papers and writings. In my own experiences each of these sites are useful and easily accessible.

2.     Discuss your views of Social Bookmarking. Highlight your experiences in the areas of ease of use and time savings by using this method of bookmarking.

I believe that Social Bookmarking is helpful when reading effectively. You have the ability to read more effectively with annotation tools, build your personal library, organize your information, share information, and even enable better collaboration. I think that social bookmarking is a good tool to teach students how to annotate in the correct way. It also helps the students learn the material they are reading easily. Through social bookmarking organizing information is also quite simple in my opinion.

Upon using the Diigo site I was able to find it easy to annotate readings and documents electronically. The tools provided on the site make it simple for the user to organize information. You have the ability to organize by what it is and by the files that they are. It also has the ability to share information quickly between accounts and just like the Social Storage it is easy to work on the same project.  It helps with collaboration between classmates and makes it easier simple for them to work together and learn effectively.

http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/classroom-collaboration-using-social-bookmarking-service-diigo