Week 10 Reflection

     Throughout my career as a teacher, I am aware that there may be a struggle of keeping my student’s attention.  However, with the use of media, keeping students engaged in the lessons might be slightly easier.  By organizing my instructional strategies where students will need to use multimedia programs, they will become more engaged in the material.  For example, by allowing students to create projects using PowerPoint, or other multimedia presentation software such as Prezi, the students will enjoying instructing their own lesson about what they have learned in class.  By using digital projectors and document cameras, this gives the students a change of scene.  Other than staring at a white board for an entire class period, students can be welcomed up to the document being projected on the screen and work out the problem with the class.  This also engages the students with each other as well as the technology and lesson material. 

Technology and Student Engagement

     I would plan on using methods such as these in every day’s lesson.  Keeping students engaged in different ways allows them to understand the material they are exposed to in a better way.  As a high school math teacher, I would also incorporate the use of podcasts in order for students to receive further information outside of the classroom in order to help them on homework or studying.  By the result of how well the students respond what they are being exposed to would determine the factors of how often these ideas are used throughout the school year. 

     

Determining the best technologies to promote education and engagement would be based on the thoughts of the students as well as the school’s standards.  By allowing the students to have a say in how they think they learn best would allow them to enjoying learning the material.  This would also be best for me as a teacher to receive any feedback as to whether or not the presentation material is helping the students understand the material better.



http://lynhilt.com/technology-and-student-engagement/

Week 8 Reflection

     I do think that text messaging and microblogging can be used as educational technologies. Since
most adolescents use text messaging, teachers can use this to their advantage. Some students may
have questions about homework or other work outside of school; they can easily access their teacher
through a text message. Teachers can also easily remind their students about assignments or upcoming
quizzes/tests. Microblogging also helps teachers suggest website links that might be helpful for their
students understand the material better. Teachers can also put up other assignments for students, as
well as an assignment calendar of what is, or will be due.
      Microblogging and text messaging differs from past technologies, like a telephone, by quicker
access. Text messaging and microblogging allows people to access who and what they want to in an
instant. Telephones allowed people to call others quickly; however, the responses would vary in time.
Due to new technologies information can be accessed in a matter of seconds.

Microblogging

     Text messaging and microblogging might be effective in the future classroom by allowing quick
access to information. Students can use microblogging to find other blogging sites that deal with the
specific information they are learning about. Such information could be helpful to them, as well as help
them understand the material better. Text messaging could be used as an educational resource in the
future classroom by allowing students to send messages to their teacher that they might feel
embarrassed to ask in front of the classroom. Text messaging can also be used outside of the classroom
by allowing students to ask their teacher questions outside of school. Teachers can also send messages
to their students about homework or tests that might be coming up they should prepare for.



http://bestmarketingtechniques.net/tag/social-media-article/

Week 7 Reflection

      Cool Math is a way for students to engage in their mathematical abilities while also having fun.
Most of the games on this website are involving students in a creative way. By allowing the students to
figure out a solution to the given problem they are encouraged to use their creative abilities to solve the
problem.

Cool Math Games

     Games from Math is Fun encourage students to apply their knowledge to situations they could
be faced with in their future. By applying the knowledge they already know to problem solve, students
are also able to have fun playing games. Many students don’t realize that they are using vital skills that
they have already been taught, some may be creating new ways, to solve these many problems inside of
the games they are playing.
     
In FunBrian, students are able to enjoy playing arcade games while also practicing their math
skills. These games are available to students in grades K-8, although anyone can surly play them, most
of the games deal with memory as well as evaluating and problem solving. Students are also
encouraged to continue their math skills by practicing their multiplication, division, addition, and
subtraction; depending on grade levels, in order to successfully beat the game.


http://www.coolmath-games.com/

Week 6 Reflection

     I have organized educational information as a student and new teacher candidate. Although I
have not been able to use bookmarking before, I have kept paper copies of all educational material that
I have used through high school and my first semester of college. Making sure that the material was
organized, I was able to keep everything of importance in an area where I knew I would be able to find it
if the information was needed in the future. I do think however, that if I was able to use web access as
well as bookmarking, I would have been able to expand my knowledge for the material I was learning. I
think that joining a social bookmarking site would have also been beneficial in my studies as well.
 In the future I plan on organizing my teaching and educational material with the use of social
bookmarking in order for my students to be able to have access to material that they might find
important or useful as well. By using social bookmarking the information is at an easy to use access,
while also clearly organized, for everyone who comes across the information.
     

What is Social Bookmarking

I plan on filling my social bookmarking site with educational mathematics games as well lesson
plans that are covered in class. I think that having this information available for my students will be
beneficial to them if they do not understand something or want extra time with a certain topic. The
games and lesson plans, as well as notes, will help them understand the material better outside of the
classroom when they are on their own. This information way also be helpful for them when studying for
a test or completing homework.



http://www.socialmarker.com/

Week 5 Reflection

     My top sources of information compare with those of the adult population somewhat
similarly. However, I tend to use the Internet more than any other media source to access
information whereas other adults use Newspapers or listen to the radio. I use the Internet as a
way of getting all information that I may be looking for. In comparison to when others use the
Internet, such as looking for jobs or a good restaurant, I use the Internet to find information about
political news, school related activities, music, and entertainment. I rarely use Newspapers or
the radio to find out information pertaining to the media.

Internet

      Other students tend to use the Internet to find their information as well. However, unlike
me, other students may also listen to the radio more often and find out other information about
media, traffic, and political news. Some might also watch television in order to find information
out as well, whereas I tend to only use the Internet to find out any information I am curious
about.
     
     Instructional and curriculum implications of widely available online information sources
may consist of an Internet source to find information pertaining to educational purposes. For
example, for students finding information such as this can be found on a school website. Other
curricular information may also be found on textbook websites online.



http://commons.esc.edu/informationskills/search-strategy/source-types/

Week 4 Reflection

      Throughout high school students are assessed in many different ways. However, some ways are
more effective than others. I felt that the most effective assessment I was given during school was the
different extra credit opportunities that counted toward my grade as a test or quiz grade. These
assessments were meant to be a fun and creative way to show how well we knew the particular
information presented to us. While coming up with creative ways to express my knowledge it also
allowed me to remember the information better and understand it clearer. The least helpful
assessment I have taken was standardized tests. In my personal opinion after taking multiple
assessments such as these I feel that there is no true way to prepare students for this particular type of
assessment. Students are prepared during class for the material the teacher wants them to be able to
have a good grasp on. Standardized tests in my opinion are more of a general understanding of
knowledge rather than a pinpointed topic the student needs to focus on.
     

Abolish the SAT

     As a teacher I would use test assessments during the middle of each chapter covered in the class
as well as the end of the chapter. This would hopefully let me know where my students stand at the
basis of the material they are learning and how far they were able to come when they reach the end of
the topic being covered. The type of knowledge that would be assessed may be that of their general
understanding of the material as well as their overall result of how well they were able to retain and
understand the concept fully. This can also be assessed through portfolios and presentations in order
for me to be able to see the way my students are thinking as they solve the math problems they are
given.

http://www.american.com/archive/2007/july-august-magazine-contents/abolish-the-sat

Week 3 Reflection

     Computers and other digital technologies are an affective part of teaching. By using technology
students are able to learn easier and find new information quickly and effectively. Teachers are also
able to use technology as an easier way of explaining new material for educational purposes. This is
helpful for students who may be visual learners, or any student that may learn material different than
others. Some things teachers may use technology for can consist of other lectures, video directions,
keeping student records, academic research, safety and security in the classroom, instructional videos,
interactive lessons, video camera usage to connect with students in different classrooms, contact
information, and examples that tie into the lesson plan.

Teaching 2.0: Is Tech in the Classroom Worth the Cost

     
     However, technology can also be counterproductive in the classroom due to students becoming
off task. Many students may take advantage of the use of technology in the classroom and use it for
their own personal use. This can also cause students to become distracted from the material they are
supposed to be engaged in which can impact their grade in the class negatively.

http://www.npr.org/2013/03/03/173372736/teaching-2-0-is-tech-in-the-classroom-worth-the-cost

Survey Reflection

     After taking this survey I was able to notice that I do not have too much experience with technology.  I do not even own my own laptop or computer.  In order for me to be able to keep up with the students I will be teaching, I will need to become familiar with the new types of technologies that are used in different generations.  I do however spend an average amount of time on  my cellphone, which is able to connect to email and social media.
     One of the strengths I had noticed was that the only “up-to-date” technology I am familiar with is social media.  Looking at this through an educational standpoint I think I might be able to use that to my advantage throughout my teaching career.  Since I will become a high school teacher, and most high schoolers are also familiar with social media, I can use social media in ways of communicating with my students through an educational way.
   

Keeping Your Social Media Employer-Friendly

Weaknesses I need to work on are becoming familiar with different blogging sites, presentation applications, and spreadsheets.  By constantly using different technologies that are new to me will help me get used to the functions and way they work.  I will then be able to use blogs and presentations in my lessons easier.  Using blogs will also help me engage with my students outside of the classroom.







http://toppelpeers.blogspot.com/2013/10/keeping-your-social-media-employer.html

Interview Reflection

     Upon interviewing my roommate, Hannah Jackson, these are her views on technology use
throughout life as well as in a classroom.
While Jackson was growing up she had the privilege of using computer games to help her better
learn how to read and write. “I started using a computer when I was about 6 years old. However, I was
not self-taught like many younger children today. I was shown how to work the mouse, what to click on,
how to properly use the computer, and so on.” Jackson’s parents encouraged her learning how to
become more advanced in reading and writing by using the computer and figuring out how to spell
words by typing them out and seeing the letters as she entered them into the games. “These
educational games helped me become more advanced in not only my schooling but how to use a
computer as well.”
     Jackson states, “I think that in childhood education today the use of technology is not too
different as it was when technology first came out, however, there is somewhat of a difference.
Although I personally was not exposed to technology when others may have been exposed I know that
some people in my generation were able to work computers when they were about 1 year old. Today
children slightly younger are also becoming exposed to using such technology in their early lives.”
Jackson also comments on the significant difference between students today and students from her
generation.
   
“One major difference between technology use; is the evolution of the technology itself.
Technology has become much more advanced over the short amount of years it has been presented.”
After “I think that self-teaching can be an effective way for students to learn more about how to use

Technology should make us optimistic 

computers in general as well as in the classroom. Many students are finding new websites, apps, etc.
and teaching themselves how to use the particular site or app through their own experience and
involvement with the technology.” Jackson thinks that having centers in schools to help students
become more engaged in these new technologies may help them focus more in different classrooms on important material, which may also help students find ways in how to incorporate the technology in
their different classrooms as well.


http://www.salon.com/2013/01/28/five_great_books_on_technology_and_optimism_partner/

Fun Math Game links

Math Basketball Games


The 24 Game