Free Week

In chapter six it basically talks about integrating technology into curriculum at schools. It state how technology provides new and interesting ways for students to learn, its also motivational smaller students who haven't worked with computers will do anything for the time the will be allowed to spend on the computers teachers can use this excitement to teach. I also came across a great instructional planning chart called the KWL chart. It stands for KNOW, WANT TO KNOW, and WILL LEARN. This is a great way to boost students learning and a good way for teachers to find out where he or she should start with their curriculum.
During the past couple of weeks I learned how to create a web page using dream weaver and also Microsoft word. This was challenging but practice makes perfect and I am sure I may need to use this knowledge in the future.

No Post for this week.

Chapter @

Chapter 2 to me, was basically going over in depth things that I've already seen in technology. Learning new and interesting things about search engines basically Google and how to use it more effectively. The proper name for an e-mail would be an internet service which was a term new to me because I never thought of an e-mail in that sense before. I have previously learned about assistive technologies prior to reading this chapter. I feel that they're great for the many people with handicaps, those with language barriers, and those with reading problems.
During class I learned how to use the search engine Google more effectively this could help inside and outside the classroom. Being able to teach a child how to properly use this reference the correct way is essential because of the world that we live in today.
I haven't used any types of technologies this week that would be too interesting to discuss on this blog. But some of my friends and I attended Halloween Horror nights this weekend and it was a very exciting trip.

In chapter I learned that input devices ranged from the keyboard to digital cameras. I already knew what they word input meant because it’s obvious but the different things that can input information into a computer were very new and interesting things that I did learn. The output devices on the other hand were things that really didn’t surprise me, like the monitor on the computer or the printer. The information that we input must become the output eventually.

This weekend my friends and I wanted to take the initiative to try out our Blue tooth devices in order to transfer ring tones to one another. But to our dismay it was not as easy as we thought it was going to be so we did not succeed in doing so. It was a huge disappointment for those of us who only owned polyphonic ring tones. I was not one of the unfortunate though.

But back to a rather happy note this week in class we learned about the concept maps and how they can be used in the classroom. I found them to be interesting and also the software that goes along with it. I feel that the concept map and the inspiration software would be a good addition to any classroom because its colorful and will keep the attention of children.

I visited two websites that I found to be very good websites for teachers, they were The Learning Site and Fact Monster. The Learning Site was the one that I really liked especially for an elementary teacher because it showed examples of each subject area in which a teacher may be working on at the time. There were activities that the students could do that could possibly enhance what the teacher may have went over in class. It was very colorful with many animation which I feel is a good attention keeper for younger students. The other site I visited was Face Monster, this site not only showed things that would be relevant in the classroom but also in the world. It had sections for current events and world news. Another very helpful section on this site was the Homework help which I feel is a great source because not all children have an adult at home that could help them with their homework.
The new skill that I have acquired this week is how to attach links to my blog. This would be very helpful as a teacher because this could be a way to communicate with parents and allow them to see the curriculum that I am teaching in class. It also could be a way to direct my students towards websites such as the ones I mentioned above.
The assistive technology that caught my eye was the reading pen. Basically because more and more children are being diagnosed with dyslexia and sometimes a teacher may not be trained very well to help that specific child, so the pen could be a really big help in that area. Also it's a good tool for ESL students because English is a hard language to learn so this could help them with pronunciation of words and not make communicating with others a stressful situation for them.

During our discussion of chapter one I learned about a new way of approaching education in the classroom it is called ARCS. I hadn't heard of the ARCS model until class on Wednesday, it really seems like a very good way to get students involved and attentive towards their work. I feel that the digital student would definitely relate to the ARCS model because in the digital era we are in today technology is in the center of all learning. Also the ISTE group is a great organization for our school systems in America today because they promote the use of technology in schools; I feel that is very important because some students may not be financially able to afford certain types of technology that can be provided at their school.
Since my last posting I have learned how to incorporate a picture of myself onto my blog. This was kind of a big deal for me because it’s different from the straight to the point copy and paste that I could usually do on any other project that involves a picture. I have also learned that I can adjust my tabs on Microsoft word something I had no idea about in the beginning. I am sure that there will be a lot more to learn about this program that I never knew before.
I enjoy learning new things especially things about technology that could possibly help make my life or my career a lot easier. But the one piece of technology I have yet to conquer is blue tooth I am highly interested in how it works other than as a hands free device we use with our cell phones because I am sure it does a lot more interesting things.

First Blog Entry

I've been using technology for as long as I can remember from elementary until the present. I can say that I am pretty familiar with computers and software that is popular in today's world. I've taken classes in high school and in college that have introduced me to different types of software that I may use later in life.
When first registering for this class I payed little attention to what the course could possibly be about until I read the syllabus which described different types of things we would be learning about technology. I saw things that I am already familiar with and things that I am not and I feel that everyday should be a learning experience. I am hoping to learn shortcuts that could possibly make things easier for me and I hope to learn new things that I could possibly use later during my college career and my career after college.
My learning style has always been visual when it comes to computers of any type of technology because hearing directions really doesn't work for me at all. So today wasn't a surprise to me at all when setting up my first blog I had to watch my instructor to make sure I was doing the correct thing.