lesson plans and an overview of this class

We really didnt have a hard time coming up with our topic or executing our topic, however, we did have problems trying to combine our ideas. Still, we worked it out and finished the project. I am very nervous about presenting it to the class though because I don't like to mess up. I know that we all make mistakes, though. I will just practice so that I can do my best.

I think that this was an excellent class. I really learned in here although I missed class some days. I learned how to create my own blog. I learned how to navigate various word programs such a microsoft word publisher and excel. I also learned about webquests and wiki. I think that the curriculum for this class is just right for disciplined students. Some students including myself may get behind if they forget or are not constantly reminded about the blog assignments and other online assignments besides the bigger projects. Overall, I enjoyed the class and I think you are a good, knowlegeable teacher CK.

I think that the tools taught in this class are crucial in today's classroom evironment because the students in the following generations are driven by the internet and other technologies. Therefore it is important to incorporate these tools to attract and appeal to the students.

Voice threads

I think that voice threads are a very good way to emphasize visual and audio learning styles in the classroom. I think that it is very valuable because the student would be able to go back to it and repeat the message being communicated in the lesson, which is especially beneficial when students forget or are not able to answer questions right away. It affords students time needed to think about questions before they answer them, which in terms may give them an opportunity to give a more detailed and well thought out answer. It may also give students a chance to analyze the lesson more thoroughly. In essence, I think that teachers and instructors should utilize this tool in their classroom in order to promote more in debt learning and to accommodate different learning styles in the classroom.

Incorporating technology in the classroom

As educators it is our main goal to reach the student and teach them not only state requirements for their grade level, but also life skills. As the use of technology is increasing, especially among the younger generations, it is imperative for us as educators to utilize these technologies in our classrooms. However, we must evaluate the grade level and maturity level of the students we are teaching in order to find out which level and program would be appropriate for our students. Teachers must realize that there has to be a balance. We as educators should not use every technology that students use outside of the classroom so that students are still able to differentiate between the classroom requirements and the entertainment they engage in at home. Students have to be able to showcase a different work ethic and attitude toward learning at school than when they are entertaining themselves.

I think that the chatroom and instant message approach to a classroom setting can only be utilizes with certain levels of students. I think this should be reserved for the secondary level in education because theses students are able to different between using these tools merely for socialization and using them for the enhancement of classroom understanding whereas younger students may only utilize these tools to socialize. Therefore, I would use these techniques at the high school level to incorporate cooperative learning between students. NInety percent of learning occurs in peer interaction. I think that chat rooms will give students an opportunity to share information amongst each other without them feeling embarassed or ashamed and it can be helpful in showing students what they did right or what they did wrong on a level that the student may understand better since it will be feedback from other students.

I think podcasts do enhance learning. I think that different students learn different ways and using podcasts may be a way to reach an audience of students many teachers may not have been able to reach before. Podcast incorporate different techniques that may motivate and enhance learning in some students.

I think videogames can help to enhance study skills because they are interesting for students and are able to hold students attention longer than when students may read a book or define vocabulary for a test. They offer students to learn by allowing them to engage in hands on learning while also allowing them to read, listen, talk and move in the process. According to the article videogames help to build conceptional knowledge and improve content knowledge acqusition. Video games also allow students to experience a sense of control in their learning as they are allowed to pick their own characters and story line. In the end students are able to actively experience the lesson of the day or week. Yes, I agree with the article because I know personally I'm a visual learner and using videogames would help me to learn a subject faster and in more debt. If I had children I would let them play videogames but not all day everyday because children need to learn the balance between reality and the game world and as adults it is our responsibility to teach it to them.

spreadsheets

I think that spreadsheets are a more effective and efficient way to post grades. It is easier to use and more convenient than a calculator. In addition, they allow you access to copy the grades or to easily send the grades to the office or wherever you need to send them so that report cards can be sent out. I think that everyone should be required to use spreadsheets and that teachers that are not familiar with technology should have spreadsheet training.

Personality Profile Test

I do think that students have different learning styles because of their personality because your personality reflects who you are and what interests you. We select the things that we pay attention to based on what interests us and how we feel that we can connect to those things. This is also how we learn. We learn about and pay attention to those things that we can somehow identify with or that interests us.

I think that personality profilinf would be very beneficial to teachers and students because it gives teachers an opportunity to understand and somewhat empathize with the students learning style based on their personality. The teacher can use this to create lesson plans that cator to the students learning styles and personalities, which will help students learn more.

Inspiration and the textbook

Writing is an essential tool used throughout our lives. It is the building block toward typing. First, we have to think it then we began writing it in elementary school and then we move on to typing papers in high school. In order to make writing fun teachers have to attract students. Make the lesson fun for students to participate in by making the writing process an all inclusive process. One way to do this is through the inspiration program. The inspiration program would allow students to use visual concept maps to layout the ideas behind their writing papers. It allows them the oppurtunity to use technology to express their thoughts and to visually make connections as the student moves through his or her thinking process. Other programs students can use to express themselves while learning is the poetry forge program. This technological program allows students access to open source writing tools for the English classroom. These open source tools include a metaphor generator and a tool for building new poems. This may be very useful in an English when the teacher is trying to teach poetry and figurative language. I think that one way to teach at an accelerated rate is through peer feedback so maybe the teacher could create a blog where students post their work and require at least 2 student response for each assignment. Maybe the teacher could create her own class webite group on a social network like facebook and allow students to respond to each others work individually in private boxes if the student doest want other students to know. Peer feedback can be used to enhance learning because students may be more responsive to the opinions of their classmates than to the teachers or the student feedback may have a different perspective than the teachers which may in term help the student to be able to look at the way he or she writes in a new way and will help the student grow as a writer. Student feedback should be praised and encouraged.

Inspiration

I was very surprised to hear bout the inpiration program on windows and other computer programs. I had never heard of it before. I think that it is an excellent way and easier way for students to organize data for projects assigned to them in class. It is also an excellent tool to teach students how to understand and use diagrams. Teachers can utilize this program to make their own personal data for students to observe. I think that so often teachers rely on verbal communication and oral teaching skills, but by using this program teachers will use a more visual learning setting, which may be very beneficial to the students. If they are visual learners they are more likely to remember what they saw rather than what they hear. In addtion, some students understand better if they are show how something works rather than just hearing it orally. I think that this program would be a perfect way to implement visual learning and to effectively teach students how to record research data including showing diagrams and charts to show comparison.